Trae Young is locked in with Washington, and he made it clear the decision was about more than money.
The Wizards guard said this summer’s four-year, $212 million contract extension came from wanting to stay in D.C. after a positive start with the franchise. Young turned down his $49 million player option to take the new deal, which includes a player option in the fourth year and keeps him under team control after his first eight NBA seasons with the Atlanta Hawks.
On a recent episode of WatchGuys with Robertino Altieri, Young explained why Washington felt like the right place to commit.
“Yeah, I mean, obviously, it's just an opportunity for me to extend my time out here in D.C. I mean, if you were in my position, I think you would,” Young said.
He followed that up by pointing to the people around the organization and the way the move has felt since he arrived.
“I've loved this since I've been out here. I mean, it's been nice, man. I mean, you have gloomy days where it looks like it's a little rain, but, I mean, the people around here are amazing, so I knew I wanted to spend more time out here, and the opportunity was there.”
Washington brought Young in from Atlanta in January in a deal that sent CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Hawks, making him a central piece in the Wizards’ push to move from rebuilding into something more competitive. The front office has kept pushing since then, adding Anthony Davis from the Dallas Mavericks before taking AJ Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Young said the appeal of the NBA goes beyond the chase for wins, and he leaned into the part of the job that stays with a player long after the final buzzer.
“My favorite part of the game is, I don't know, besides the part of winning, I think just building relationships with your teammates, being around your guys, and the memories you get from playing in games in different arenas,” Young said.
“All these different fans from around the world. It's definitely a dream come true to be able to play in the NBA. Just really the memories you get from a day-in and day-out basis.”
He also sounded energized about the group around him, especially Davis and Dybantsa. Young said the top pick has handled the noise that comes with being No. 1, and the way he put it was simple: the pressure isn’t showing.
“Like, being the number one pick, there's a lot of pressure that comes with it, but you can't really see it just by being around him,” Young said.
Young also told Dybantsa to keep his attention on winning and on finding his place in Washington’s rotation instead of chasing only personal numbers.
The four-time All-Star also explained why he changed from No. 11 to No. 3 in Washington. The number has personal meaning for him, dating back to his freshman year of high school, and his father wore it in college. He also pointed to Chris Paul and Allen Iverson as influences.
When the discussion turned to basketball idols and style, Young named Steve Nash as his favorite player of all time.
Washington wrapped up its preseason Friday with a 107-106 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, and the regular season starts Wednesday, Oct. 21, at home against the Milwaukee Bucks at 7 p.m. ET.
Now armed with a new deal and a different cast around him, Young heads into his first full season in Washington focused on helping the Wizards build something that lasts.
In Other News...
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The Wizards will get one more preseason look Tuesday night against the New Orleans Pelicans, with both teams entering at 2-1 and trying to sort out the last few details before the games start to count. Washington has had plenty to like so far, especially the early flashes from rookie AJ Dybantsa, but the bigger picture remains the same: this is a roster still trying to find its cleanest version while a new mix of pieces settles in.
The next test matters because the preseason has also exposed a real issue for Washington, and it has been the kind that can undo promising stretches if it lingers into October. The Pelicans bring their own questions into the matchup, with a young supporting cast and a few injury concerns of their own, so it should be a useful final tune-up even before the Wizards have to make any more serious judgments about where their backcourt and rotation stand. [Read more 🡒]
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Will Riley had shown enough last season and in Summer League to look like a player who might force his way into the conversation, but the early pecking order has not moved in his favor. Washington seems to have other young options ahead of him right now, which leaves Riley in a familiar spot for a rebuilding team: waiting for the next opening to arrive and hoping it comes soon enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards Just Got Another Reason To Believe In AJ Dybantsa
The annual NBA general managers survey offered another reminder of why AJ Dybantsa has become such a big part of the Wizards long-term hopes. Washingtons No. 1 overall pick landed near the top of the league-wide predictions for rookies, with GMs clearly buying into the athleticism and skill package that made him such a coveted prospect in the first place. For a franchise trying to build something sustainable, that kind of early respect matters.
Even in a rookie class with names like Cam Boozer, Darryn Peterson and Caleb Wilson drawing attention for their own paths to impact, Dybantsa stood out as the player executives think can become a centerpiece down the line. The wrinkle is that his immediate award case looks a little different, since much of the league seems to view his Rookie of the Year chances through the lens of Washingtons situation more than his talent. [Read more 🡒]