Wizards Notes: Trae Young, Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly, Corey Kispert

Inside the organization, there’s confidence that the Wizards have the defensive personnel to help cover for Trae Young on that end of the floor.

According to David Aldridge, Sam Amick, and Josh Robbins of The Athletic, Washington believes rim protector Alex Sarr and wing defender Bilal Coulibaly can help offset Young’s defensive limitations. The Wizards are also optimistic that Young’s presence will unlock more offense from their young core.

Sarr now has a true pick-and-roll partner, while Tre Johnson should benefit from cleaner looks created by Young’s gravity.

While Kyshawn George, Coulibaly, and Bub Carrington have all handled the ball this season, the organization views George and Coulibaly as forwards rather than primary initiators.

Some internally believe Carrington is better suited to playing off the ball, per the report. That reality helped drive the front office’s decision to acquire a true point guard.

Contract Questions Remain

Washington still doesn’t know which contractual path Young plans to take.

Rival executives have assumed the four-time All-Star would exercise his $49 million player option for 2026-27, but Aldridge, Amick, and Robbins report that no decision has been made. Young is open to discussing an extension with the Wizards or even opting out to test free agency this summer.

If Young reaches free agency, the Wizards would make a full push to re-sign him. The team has no interest in losing him for nothing. If he opts in, Washington would reassess, weighing an extension, another trade, or letting him play out the final year of his deal.

Evaluating fit is central to that decision. The Wizards want to see how Young meshes with George, Carrington, and Johnson, and whether his style accelerates their development.

That process may be slow. Young has appeared in just 10 games this season due to multiple injuries, most recently a quad issue, and Washington has little incentive to rush him back. With a top-eight protected first-round pick in 2026, winning now is not the priority.

As The Athletic notes, Young could end up playing a limited number of games the rest of the season, with the focus shifting to 2026-27 and beyond.

Why Kispert Was Moved

While Corey Kispert was “highly regarded” within the organization for his professionalism, the Wizards viewed him as expendable due to their depth on the wing, per Aldridge, Amick, and Robbins.

That depth made Kispert the logical piece to include in a deal designed to reshape the franchise around a true lead guard.