The Washington Wizards rebuild hasn't exactly gone how either the fanbase or the front office could have dreamed when the team finally decided to hit the restart button.
Washington has done a great job landing talented prospects, especially when considering the cards they were dealt courtesy of the team's historic bad luck.
Despite that, one position in particular the Wizards have failed to address is arguably the most important position on the court.
That position? Point guard.
The Wizards entered the season hoping that former lottery pick and second-year man Bub Carrington could be the answer to the team's glaring roster hole, but it took no time for the guard's bizarre start to the regular season to indicate that Washington may not be any closer to solving their issue.
With Washington searching for a long-term answer, it doesn't come as a surprise to see the Wizards linked to nearly every point guard that's made available on the trade market.
Between the likes of LaMelo Ball and Darius Garland, the Wizards were quickly pinned as suitors for both guard's with rumblings about a potential move.
However, both players seem like an unrealistic option to land in Washington for a variety of reasons.
Nonetheless, the recent rumors about the Atlanta Hawks' desire to move on from Trae Young could present a door that many people would advise the Wizards not to walk in.
At the same time, this is the exact type of risk could be the one that offers the Wizards a high reward if everything goes right.
A Trae Young trade could benefit the Wizards more than it hurts
There's no denying that Young's defensive limitations and undersized frame is the exact opposite of the blueprint for the type of players Washington has made it a point to prioritize since their rebuild began.
At 6-foot-2, the Oklahoma product has his weaknesses with majority of them coming on the defensive side of the court.
Offensively though, Young is the exact type of facilitator that could help prospects like Alex Sarr take his game to an entirely new level.
Young has only played in 10 games this season, averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists, while shooting 41.5% from field goal range and 30.5% from beyond the arc.
Obviously, the 27-year-old has put together better seasons in years past, but his decline in play mixed with Atlanta's desire to move on could put Young's trade value at a price that's worth the Wizards taking the risk.
If Young could replace a veteran like McCollum and get the opportunity to raise the heights of other young talent like Sarr, Kyshawn George or even Tre Johnson, a move could be the exact risk that Washington should investigate taking.
At the same time, it's worth noting that going against the grain and investing time and assets into a player like Young could be the exact move that sets the Wizards back in their rebuild.
Is the risk worth the reward?