Trae Young, Come on DOWN

AFM · Post #41 » by **AFM** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:25 am

FWIW pretty much everyone outside of this board thought we'd be giving up picks to acquire Trae. NYT had us sending the OKC first and 2 2nds. ATL was reported an hour ago wanting draft compensation. That would have been a terrible trade. This is just kicking the tires on a someone who may or may not fit our young kids. Actually letting them play with a PG for once. Maybe Johnson will get some open 3s that aren't just transition pullups.

We gave up an expiring CJ and Frichuela's least favorite player.

Post #42 » by **nate33** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:26 am

FWIW, I think Sarr is going to be a pretty bad pick and roll partner for Trae because he has such lousy hands. I suppose the practice will do him good, though.

long suffrin' boulez fan · Post #43 » by **long suffrin' boulez fan** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:30 am

I had talked myself into being ok with the trade even if we didn’t get the Pels pick, but got SOME draft compensation. I just don’t understand the wisdom of helping out the Hawks for nothing. Couldn’t we have gotten a couple of seconds for CJ and Krispy at the deadline?

Northwest Roddy · Post #44 » by **Northwest Roddy** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:33 am

This is awful. A D or D- we just did Atlanta a huge favor. The curse lives on.

gesa2 · Post #45 » by **gesa2** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:34 am

The Consiglieri wrote:
Tyrone Messby wrote:He also doesn’t fit the mold of any of this Presti tree…if they extend him I’ll lose all faith in this front office.

Pretty much. I've been a big fan of most moves other than the Deni move, but this is chairs on titanic at best and could be far worse. Otoh, McCollum was well and truly screwing up the tank....but if they are serious about him being an answer, than yeah, this is utterly hopeless, and it's time to give up unless you're like 10 -20 years old. I'm too old for this ----, needless to say, and will be watching CL soccer, and the WC, and ignoring the NBA entirely other than the lottery and draft, and reading game results.

it’ll be important to follow actions not words. We won’t have any idea if they see him as the answer unless they extend him. There’s going to be lots of flowery words about how good Trae is at the press conference, and for the rest of this year and into next. That’s part of rehabbing his value. If we play him and give up the tank, or extend him without a pay cut, then we should worry.

willbcocks · Post #46 » by **willbcocks** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:36 am

I'm fine with this if Trae sits. Really I just care about our pick. McCollum was winning us too many games.

AFM · Post #47 » by **AFM** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:39 am

Read on Twitter

Despy · Post #48 » by **Despy** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:39 am

if he sucks great, if he doesnt well were supposed to start contending next year

AFM · Post #49 » by **AFM** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:42 am

Watch on YouTube

Tyrone Messby · Post #50 » by **Tyrone Messby** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:44 am

We don’t want to be relevant this year. What is that clown smoking?

leswizards · Post #51 » by **leswizards** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:49 am

This was an awful trade. It is hard to explain why, but I will do my best.

Is Trae a tank commander? If so, good I guess, but why would anyone want to commit $49 million in salary next season to a tank commander. Atlanta should have compensated the Wizards for taking his salary off their hands. If he isn’t a tank commander, why trade for him now and risk losing the first round pick. Do the Wizards view him as a long term asset? If so, why trade for him now, he will be a free agent in a season and a half.

The Wizards lost the opportunity of trading CJ and Kispert for draft capital. Maybe no one would have traded for them this season, but $30 million in cap space can facilitate a lot of sign and trades this offseason. That cap space is now gone.

long suffrin' boulez fan · Post #52 » by **long suffrin' boulez fan** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:57 am

leswizards wrote:This was an awful trade. It is hard to explain why, but I will do my best.

Is Trae a tank commander? If so, good I guess, but why would anyone want to commit $49 million in salary next season to a tank commander. Atlanta should have compensated the Wizards for taking his salary off their hands. If he isn’t a tank commander, why trade for him now and risk losing the first round pick. Do the Wizards view him as a long term asset? If so, why trade for him now, he will be a free agent in a season and a half.

The Wizards lost the opportunity of trading CJ and Kispert for draft capital. Maybe no one would have traded for them this season, but $30 million in cap space can facilitate a lot of sign and trades this offseason. That cap space is now gone.

Well stated.

willbcocks · Post #53 » by **willbcocks** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 3:58 am

We were not going to get anything for McCollum or Kispert. This is not the rationalization of a beaten down wizards fan. It's just no teams who want to win have the space or need for either of them.

I think there is plenty to criticize about the trade (for me, it's why do we need a constant parade of boyd point guards, and I'm worried about our pick). And to lesser extent opportunity cost, though we have so much cap space I doubt it will matter. But we didn't lose out on any return for kispert or McCollum.

GoneShammGone · Post #54 » by **GoneShammGone** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 4:00 am

I hate the idea of Trae as a long-term Wizard. I thought we were finally moving away from a no-defense, shot-jacking team. Best case scenario is that we draft Peterson and Trae is trade bait next year. Realistically, what could a somewhat healthy expiring Trae bring us next year at the deadline?

CntOutSmrtCrazy · Post #55 » by **CntOutSmrtCrazy** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 4:02 am

I think nate said it, someone said it, but the whole preserve the tank line is hilarious. You go through all this to "preserve the tank"? The Wiz do ATL a favor with taking on an extra year of Young (I can't imagine he turns down that option, but here's to praying), and get nothing in terms of draft compensation. Not even moving up a couple spots with that late pick. You could have just sat CJ down with some old guy injury that he probably has for the rest of season.

I suppose they cleaned up a mess of their own making in getting out of a dumb Kispert extension. Front office looks like it's just throwing spaghetti at a wall. Also helps something else for fodder for local media now that Deni is really starting to get a lot of shine around the league. Well played Dawkins, well played.

CntOutSmrtCrazy · Post #56 » by **CntOutSmrtCrazy** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 4:03 am

AFM wrote:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Dawkins thinks he that guy that can turn a calculator into a Porsche.

AFM · Post #57 » by **AFM** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 4:06 am

CntOutSmrtCrazy wrote:
AFM wrote:

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

Dawkins thinks he that guy that can turn a calculator into a Porsche.

More or less. I thought it was a paperclip.

TheBlackCzar · Post #58 » by **TheBlackCzar** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 4:12 am

While I understand the concerns about his defense, dude is by far the best offensive player on our team right now....
The last year and a half he's been fighting through leg injuries trying to play through it so his stats having taken a hit....
I think we are going to sit him out...
Why, because we're going to continue tanking by trading for Trae who needs to rehab maybe the rest of the season, CJ was tryna win, and he had to go...
I'm not surprised our vets didn't want to keep losing, these dudes used to playoffs and playing high level ball....
The fact we aren't holding dudes hostage, and trading them to Siberia, I think is building good will league wide...
I think Trae's extension talks were a sign that he may not play much this year if at all......

If we end up with both our firsts, and we have Trae to lead our offense, that is not a bad setup for the future....
Even if Trae doesn't work out hopefully relying on the youngings the rest of the year will help them improve quicker, even if we're losing.....

JRoy · Post #59 » by **JRoy** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 4:18 am

What now, WAS?

What’s the follow up move?

dobrojim · Post #60 » by **dobrojim** » Thu Jan 8, 2026 4:19 am

No draft picks involved. That's a saving grace.

I hope Trae's no defending arse sits the rest of the year.