Trae

Young

Young opted out of his $49 million player option last week, but he’ll get a bigger payday and long-term stability with Washington. His deal includes a player option in Year 4, but Young will be with the franchise through at least 2029. With so many talented options already around him and the top pick in the draft heading to the nation’s capital, Washington could move out of the cellar in which it’s been dwelling.

Reports surfaced on Wednesday that Young would opt out of the final year of his contract, which would’ve been worth $48.97 million. Assuming he makes that official next week, he will become an unrestricted free agent, but it doesn’t appear he will test the waters. Young seemed to be bought in on the Wizards after they traded for him in January, and he’ll affirm that when he signs a new deal. Washington is in a great spot after multiple miserable seasons; they have All-Star talents in Young and Anthony Davis, rising stars in Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson, and they also have the top pick in the draft next week. Young will have plenty of talent to facilitate the ball to.

Acquired from the Hawks in early January, Young appeared in five games for the Wizards before being shut down in mid-March. Had he opted into the final season of his contract, the point guard would have earned nearly $49 million. And this may not be a case in which Young is opting out to negotiate a deal with the Wizards that would give the team more cap space. According to the report, there’s a belief that “multiple teams” will show interest in signing Young. Washington is perceived to be the favorite to sign Young, but that isn’t guaranteed. The question is whether this will affect how the Wizards view the first overall pick in next week’s draft. BYU’s AJ Dybantsa is considered the favorite to go first, but Kansas’ Darryn Peterson has refused to work out for any team other than the Wizards.

Carrington finished his second NBA season on a positive note, totaling 50 points in the Wizards’ final two games. However, his category-league fantasy value remained low over the final month of the season, even with the increased playing time. With a healthy Trae Young in the mix, Carrington will compete for the backup point guard role in 2026-27. While he’s worth holding onto in dynasty leagues, redraft league managers are likely to leave Bub on the board in drafts next fall.

While the Wizards kept the door open on a return at some point before the end of the season, Young’s remaining sidelined is no surprise. He appeared in five games after being traded from Atlanta to Washington and is expected to be one of the Wizards’ cornerstones moving forward. Young’s recent injury history will make it challenging to trust him with a first-round pick in fantasy drafts next fall. Still, he has the potential to offer that kind of value, especially for managers punting turnovers.

For the first time in over two months, Carrington has recorded seven assists or more in consecutive games. Against the 76ers, he may not have had the best night shooting the basketball, but the second-year guard did not commit a turnover in 31 minutes. A strong finish to the season won’t change Carrington’s outlook for next season, as a healthy Trae Young will run the show. However, Bub playing well would likely give the front office more confidence about the Wizards’ point guard situation behind Young.

The Wizards released an injury update on Young, who sustained a right quad contusion Monday against the Warriors. The 27-year-old point guard is also said to be dealing with lower back irritation. Young had already been ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Thunder and is currently without a timetable to return to game action. Bub Carrington should continue to start for the Wizards for the foreseeable future.

Saturday’s game will be the third that Young has missed since suffering a quad contusion during Monday’s loss to the Warriors. Bub Carrington should remain in the starting lineup, and he is worth rostering while Young is out.

Injured during Monday’s loss to the Warriors, Young will miss a second straight game with a quad contusion. Bub Carrington, who scored a season-high 30 points on Tuesday, should remain in the starting lineup.

Young picked up a right quad contusion in the third quarter of Monday’s loss to the Warriors, and he did not return. The injury will keep him out for at least one game, which means more playing time for Bub Carrington and potentially some extra run for Sharife Cooper.