The Wizards may finally be ready to emerge from the NBA’s cellar.
Washington is a trade partner for available Hawks guard Trae Young in a deal that would include Wizards veteran C.J. McCollum’s expiring contract, according to Yahoo.
Young, 27, and his agents have begun talking with Atlanta regarding a potential trade, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Monday, while fellow ESPNer Marc Spears said Young is “open-minded” to a move.
“I don’t think he’s asking for a trade, but I don’t think he’s telling (Atlanta) not to trade him,” Spears said on ESPN’s “NBA Today” on Monday. “I’m hearing he’s open-minded to being moved.
“I do think he’d certainly be open-minded to a new uniform.”
Young and the Hawks seemed destined for a breakup once the team declined to offer him the max extension this past offseason.
The four-time All-Star has just a $49 million player option with the franchise, which allows him to potentially seek a long-term deal this offseason.
With Atlanta owning a 17-21 record nearly halfway into the season, it appears the Hawks are open to the idea of potentially receiving assets now for the future in what could be a wasted season.
The Wizards have the NBA’s fourth-worst record with their 9-25 mark, ahead of only the 6-30 Pacers in the Eastern Conference, and a trade would give them the chance to land a young, talented player.
There are questions about how Young fits best into a roster, as shown by the Hawks being unwilling to extend him, but he could be the alpha on a rebuilding team like Washington.
The Wizards lack talent from top to bottom, and landing Young, in theory, would help them take the next step toward possibly competing for a playoff or Play-In Tournament berth.
Young is a talented yet flawed player, averaging 25.2 points per game and 9.8 assists per game in his eight-year career, although he sits at 19.3 points and 8.9 assists this year in an injury-plagued campaign that has limited him to just 10 games.
McCollum, 34, is averaging a team-high 18.6 points per game for the Wizards and is an unrestricted free agent after the season.
The Hawks could keep him to help offset losing Young or potentially flip him to a contender for assets before the trade deadline.
