The Washington Wizards were immediately met with questions after trading for All-Star guard Trae Young.
Washington's desperation to find a point guard of the future made the acquisition of the dynamic playmaker a no-brainer, but given the need for an extension, how his arrival could impact the development of the young core, and the future plans of the team in general, the questions were more than valid.
Beyond the concerns listed above, the most obvious risk the Wizards were tasked with after landing Young was how the team could remain in contention for a top pick in the NBA Draft, which became even more important than anyone realized after the new anti-tanking rules were implemented shortly after the move.
However, based on the latest suggestion by ESPN's Brian Windhorst, it seems that Young was fully on board with the plan to do whatever it took to land a top pick, which eventually turned into the Wizards landing top prospect AJ Dybantsa.
Wizards "promised" Trae Young an extension despite limited games
Young joined the Wizards in the midst of a recovery process from an injury he suffered early in the season with the Atlanta Hawks.
Many wondered how soon Young could play after joining his new squad, but it became clear early on that there would be no rush to get the guard back on the court. According to Windhorst, it's easy to see why.
"The Wizards promised Trae [Young] they were going to sign him when they traded for him," Windhorst said. "They needed him not to play because they might not have gotten the number 1 pick."
Young's primary goal when searching for his next team was to find a landing spot where securing a long-term extension was likely, which is a major reason the Wizards were listed as his preferred landing spot.
The playmaker joined the rebuilding team, and the front office reportedly made it clear that an extension was the end goal, but it would come after the former top five pick missed an extended period to help Washington secure a chance at the top pick.
Obviously, the strategy worked out in the Wizards' favor, because now Washington has a Big 3 featuring Young, Dybantsa, and Anthony Davis.
Young landed his long-term extension, Washington secured the future face of the franchise, and the veteran managed to get back to full health with the extended recovery time.
All that to say, it's safe to say that Young's commitment to helping the Wizards land the top pick worked out for all parties involved, to come out as a winner.
Now, Washington is viewed as one of the biggest sleepers in the East with an extremely bright future ahead.
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