Trae Young Turns Down $49 Million to Lock In $212 Million Deal With Wizards

The Washington Wizards just made their biggest bet in years. And this time, it’s on a guy who hasn’t even played a full season for them yet.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Trae Young plans to sign a four-year, $212 million extension and stay in D.C. The four-time All-Star declined his $49 million player option for next season, which set off a wave of speculation that he might test free agency. That chatter was wrong. Young is staying put, and the Wizards are building around him.

Washington traded for Young back in January, and the organization clearly saw enough in those few months to commit big. Really big. This is the kind of deal that draws criticism from fans who remember past mistakes by this front office. But the Wizards think they got their guy.

What the Money Looks Like

The contract averages out to $53 million per year. That puts Young in the upper tier of NBA salaries, right alongside guys like Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. It’s a monster number for a point guard who turns 27 this fall and has never made it past the conference finals.

Then again, Young’s resume is legit. He’s a four-time All-Star, a guy who can drop 30 and 10 on any given night, and he’s got that edge that makes him a pain in the ass to play against. The Wizards are betting that version of Young shows up in D.C. for the long haul.

Washington didn’t just hand out this deal because they had nothing else to do. They traded for him with the intention of keeping him. The option decline was never really about leaving. It was about getting the extension done now instead of waiting.

Reaction Around the League

Fans online are split. Some see this as a desperate overpay for a player who hasn’t won at the highest level. Others point out that you don’t let a franchise point guard walk when you finally have one. The Wizards have been searching for stability at that spot for years.

Young’s camp has not commented publicly, but the reporting from Charania is firm. The deal is expected to be signed once the moratorium lifts. No drama. No last-minute twists.

For Washington, the path forward is clear now. They have their star. They have their money committed. What they don’t have yet is a roster that looks like a real contender. That’s the next problem to solve.

But for today, the Wizards can say they locked in a top-tier guard through his prime. That’s more than a lot of teams can claim.