Report: Wizards believe Trae Young could boost fan interest, attendance

The Washington Wizards believe that incoming guard Trae Young could help boost fan interest and attendance at games, according to Dallas Hoops Journal’s Grant Afseth.

“Beyond the court, sources told DallasHoopsJournal.com that Washington also views Young as a rare intersection of basketball impact and marketability,” Afseth wrote. “Internally, he is seen as the type of recognizable star talent the franchise has lacked — one capable of re-engaging fans and helping draw attendance back into Capital One Arena as the organization continues progressing through its rebuilding phase.”

Washington has not made the playoffs since the 2020-21 season, and it has won fewer than 20 games in each of the last two seasons. That certainly makes it hard for the team to sell fans on the idea that it can win now, but Young could change some of that.

The Wizards struck a deal for the four-time All-Star in a move that will send C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Atlanta Hawks. Young led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2020-21 season, but the team has not found the same success since.

Still, there’s no doubt that Young gives some more proven talent to a Washington roster that has a few nice young pieces like big man Alex Sarr, lottery pick Tre Johnson and sophomore Kyshawn George. The Wizards have just 10 wins this season, but they are playing better as of late, winning five of their last eight games.

Young, who has battled the injury bug in the 2025-26 season, has only appeared in 10 games. He’s averaging 19.3 points, 1.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game while shooting 41.5 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Washington is likely hoping that the veteran point guard can bring stability to a young roster that may have a chance to compete for a play-in tournament or playoff spot in the near future. The Wizards would surely love for Young to elevate some of their younger players with his elite passing.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Wizards fare the rest of the season, and it’s possible the deal for Young drums up more fan interest now that the team has a recognizable star in the fold. The Wizards have lacked that since they traded away longtime franchise cornerstone Bradley Beal a few offseasons ago.