$212 Million For Trae Young: The NBA Has No Idea What the Wizards Are Thinking

You guys. You absolutely will not believe what I just saw flash across my phone screen. The Washington Wizards, bless their hearts, just dropped a nuclear bomb on their payroll, agreeing to sign four-time All-Star point guard Trae Young to a four-year contract. And get this: it's worth approximately $212 million. Seriously, what in the Emerald City is going on?

The Shocking Numbers That Make Zero Sense

My jaw is still on the floor from this one. We're talking about a deal just shy of a max contract, with an average annual value of $53 million. Let that sink in for a minute. This is for a guy who, just seven months ago, the Hawks practically salary dumped. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, was interested in giving up anything of real value for him in a trade back then. Now he's suddenly commanding $53 million a year?

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And let's talk about some context, shall we? Jalen Brunson, the dude who just snagged himself an NBA Finals MVP trophy, is currently pulling in an average of $39 million annually. That means the Wizards just committed to paying Trae Young a mind-boggling $14 million MORE per year than the actual Finals MVP! Are we living in a simulation? Who exactly were the Wizards bidding against here? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like they were bidding against themselves into a hole the size of the Columbia Tower.

"Anti-Tanking Measures" and the De'Aaron Fox Problem

So, why the lunacy? According to reports from The Athletic, the Wizards' decision-makers apparently became convinced that "with the NBA's new anti-tanking measures compelling more teams to compete, Young was going to command maximum-salary contract offers from other franchises." I'm calling BS on that one, folks. It's incredibly hard to believe that a player nobody wanted seven months ago was suddenly going to have max offers flying in from every direction. Even if that's true, to be so desperate you pay him $14 million more than a Finals MVP just screams panic.

People have been ripping De'Aaron Fox's four-year, $229 million contract, set to kick off this season, calling it one of the worst values in the league, especially with Dylan Harper's "nuclear ascension." But let me tell you, this Young deal? On paper, it's way worse. At least Fox's deal isn't totally awful for the Spurs because their three best players are still on rookie contracts. This Trae Young contract is a wild, unadulterated overpay in a vacuum. There's literally nothing to suggest he's worth this kind of cash, especially when you consider how quickly small, defensively challenged guards were depreciating just a short while ago. Brunson might have reinvigorated the market, but Young is nowhere near that caliber of player.

This is the first monstrous NBA contract of the summer, and it sets a wild precedent. What's next for Washington after lighting $212 million on fire for a player the league had basically written off? We'll be watching, but man, it's going to be a long four years for those fans.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.