Trae Young does have a preferred top destination, and you know who that team is? The Wizards. Yes, the 10-25 Washington Wizards. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported on Wednesday that the Atlanta Hawks star guard wants to go to the nation's capital.
On Monday, NBA insider Marc Stein reported that Atlanta and Washington were having discussions about a Young trade. Earlier today, Jake Fischer noted that the Hawks want to wait and see if other suitors outside of the Hawks emerge. Perhaps Charania's latest report will change that.
You're probably wondering why Young wants to go to the Wizards, considering that if it weren't for the Pacers, they'd be sitting at the bottom of the East. There are a few reasons that you can pinpoint, with the biggest one perhaps being that Washington could be willing to extend him (he will be eligible for a three-year deal), as it has the cap space to do so. Fischer listed that as a possibility in his latest drop.
When Atlanta didn't extend Young before the season, a trade became more real than ever, but it's safe to say most people didn't think that it would be to Washington. The stars are aligning for that to happen.
Trae Young has the Washington Wizards as his top preferred trade destination, sources tell ESPN. Atlanta is working to move Young, who has a $49 million player option in offseason that would make him an expiring contract; or opt out, leave and give Hawks significant cap space. https://t.co/LUm2hJCj1z
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 7, 2026
Hawks' Trae Young prefers to be traded to the Wizards
Washington will have the cap space over the summer to sign Young if he stays in Atlanta and declines his $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season. The key here for the Wizards is that acquiring him before the deadline would mean they'd receive draft compensation from the Hawks, as they want to move off his salary, especially if they're serious about trading for Anthony Davis.
There were questions about how Young would feel about being in Washington to finish out the season, but it's clear now that he would be more than okay with that. That might have something to do with no other teams lined up to trade for him, but still, proclaiming the Wizards your top destination means something.
He would immediately step in and be Washington's No. 1 guy, maybe even helping the team climb up the standings into play-in tournament territory. While that would be quite an impressive feat, what Young is probably thinking most about is getting paid.
The latest news from Shams is noteworthy and could mean Young will be traded sooner rather than later. He is out for Atlanta's game against New Orleans this evening, and CJ McCollum, whose expiring contract would be included in a trade, will miss his first game this season tonight as the Wizards take on the Sixers. Unless that's a pure coincidence, perhaps a deal is in the works.