The Washington Wizards decision to land Trae Young in a blockbuster trade turned heads, but at the same time it raised eyebrows.
Young is entering his prime at 27-years-old, and he's proven to be one of the best playmakers in the league through the start of his career in Atlanta.
In addition to his playmaking, the guard's finishing around the rim and ability to stretch the floor with his knock down shooting beyond the arc, the Oklahoma product applies plenty of pressure on opposing defenses.
However, his shortcomings as a defender and age gap in comparison to the Wizards' young core added plenty of questions as to why Washington became motivated to get a deal done for Young quickly after being listed as the star's preferred landing spot.
Not to mention the concern that his arrival could derail the development of players like Kyshawn George and Bub Carrington.
Fortunately, those concerns were met with a vote confidence in the addition of Young from President of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger, who arguably is the man behind the decision to trade for the dynamic guard.
Michael Winger makes decision to trade for Trae Young clear
In a recent interview, Winger made it clear exactly what he expects Young to offer the Wizards based on the impact he had in Atlanta.
“Trae Young has a very long track record of making other players around him better,” Winger said. “Young will contribute mightily to our player development program.”
The immediate thoughts behind Young's arrival was how major is role in Washington's offense could help the development of rising star Alex Sarr, who seems to be the biggest beneficiary behind the team's blockbuster move.
Nonetheless, the overwhelming concern that the addition of Young could negatively impact the development of others directly combatted the potential pros of the team's trade.
Winger's comments though prove that the team's decision makers don't have major concerns, if any at all, about how the guard will fit in on Brian Keefe's squad.
In fact, it seems that the team views Young as the piece that will help the Wizards young core take the next step in their development with the hope that his arrival could pay dividends in the long-term plans for the team.
Whether Young's presence makes an impact immediately or it takes time is still to be seen, but between Winger's confidence and the positive outlook from young players on the roster, early signs suggests the guard could be a major difference maker in D.C.