TITLE: Wizards Count on Trae Young to Accelerate Alex Sarr’s Rise
SLUG: wizards-bet-trae-young-unlocks-alex-sarr
CONTENT:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Washington Wizards believe their recent trade for four-time All-Star guard Trae Young can fast-track the growth of 7-foot center Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft and the player the franchise views as its long-term cornerstone.
The plan
“Trae understands that the team doesn’t need a savior,” general manager Will Dawkins told ESPN, stressing that Young’s primary task is to elevate Sarr rather than headline the roster. Young, 27, averaged more than 25 points and 10 assists in each of the past three seasons with Atlanta but is recovering from knee and quadriceps injuries that are expected to keep him sidelined until at least the All-Star break.
Sarr’s emerging profile
Sarr recently became just the fourth player to produce 150 blocks and 125 made three-pointers within his first 100 career games, joining Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren and Kristaps Porziņģis. Genius IQ tracking shows Sarr leads the league in contested shots in the paint and restricted area, and in blocks per game among qualified players.
What excites Washington is the Frenchman’s mobility: he drops in pick-and-roll coverage 41% of the time, switches 15% of the time and routinely guards all five positions. Offensively, an offseason addition of 10 pounds has trimmed his three-point attempts from 5.1 to 2.7 per game while boosting his paint scoring from 5.8 to 11.1 points.
“He’s smart, athletic and that size is rare,” Young said. “I want to help bring out everything he can do.”
How Young fits
Since entering the league in 2018-19, Young has assisted on an NBA-best 580 lob dunks, a skill the Wizards hope will increase Sarr’s finishes at the rim. Young holds a $49 million player option for 2026-27; according to league sources, both sides are open to an extension, but he may simply exercise the option and treat next year as a shared evaluation period.
A rebuilding backdrop
Washington’s prolonged rebuild has featured consecutive seasons under 20 wins and the NBA’s only 50-win drought dating back to the three-point era. The club’s path accelerated after Bradley Beal waived his no-trade clause in 2023. Subsequent deals flipped Chris Paul for Jordan Poole, Poole for CJ McCollum, and McCollum for Young, whose remaining contract years align with what Beal would have earned had he stayed.
The Wizards retain this season’s first-round pick only if it lands in the top eight, another reason for caution with Young’s return while he heals.
Character on display
Team officials point to a Jan. 14 game against the Los Angeles Clippers as evidence of Sarr’s leadership potential. Ejected in the second quarter for spiking the ball in frustration, he ordered a locker-room spread of In-N-Out burgers and fries as an apology. “He’s got the temperament to be the face of the franchise,” Dawkins said.
What’s next
The Wizards fielded the youngest starting lineup in NBA history (average age 20.6) on Jan. 24, underscoring their developmental focus. Young’s expected post-All-Star-break debut will give Washington its first look at the guard-center pairing it hopes will define the next decade.
Source: ESPN
