The face of the Wizards: Trae Young's $212M deal

In the NBA, the Washington Wizards are building their future around star point guard Trae Young. The 27-year-old four-time All-Star agreed a new four-year deal worth roughly $212 million with the team. The fourth year carries a player option, tying Young to the capital through the 2029-30 season.

Notably, shortly before this deal Young had declined his $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season and stepped into free agency. While many assumed he did so for a longer-term but lower-annual deal, Young ended up both raising his salary and securing long-term stability; the new contract will pay him an average of around $53 million per year.

Traded from the Atlanta Hawks to Washington in January 2026, Young spent the season battling injuries and managed only 15 games combined for the Wizards and Hawks. In his five games for Washington, he averaged 15.2 points and 6.2 assists, shooting 59.5% from the field and 42.9% from three. Alongside Young, champion big man Anthony Davis had also joined the young roster.

The deal came at a time when the Wizards hold the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which begins Tuesday; the team is expected to take AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson. Young's main job will be to lead young talents such as Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George as an experienced playmaker.

The contract drew criticism in some quarters; one salary model graded it as roughly a $97 million overpay, and it sparked debate on social media. Even so, Young is optimistic about the future: "This is just the start of something special," the star said, adding he is probably only now entering his prime and is targeting the top of the Eastern Conference with the Wizards. Washington, long stuck in a rebuild, aim to join the playoff race with the Young-Davis duo.

Image: Yahoo Sports