The Wizards are not planning to use Trae Young as a one-man offense every night.
Joshua Robbins of The Athletic reported that Washington's vision includes Young playing off the ball more often, with AJ Dybantsa and Kyshawn George also handling the basketball. The key qualifier is late-game control. When the Wizards are in close games, Young is still expected to bring the ball up, organize the floor and create quality shots.
That is the balance Washington is trying to sell. General manager Will Dawkins pointed to Young's five games with the Wizards last season, a small sample at just under 21 minutes per game. In that stretch, Young had the lowest usage rate of his career and the highest assist percentage of his career, according to Cleaning the Glass.
The idea is easy to debate because Young's value has long been tied to the ball in his hands. Letting Dybantsa and George initiate could speed up their growth, but it also asks Young to lean into a role that has never been his natural identity.
For Washington, the season may come down to how flexible that plan really is. Development reps matter. So does keeping the best passer on the roster in charge when the game gets tight.
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