American reporter: Trae Young plans to opt out of his player option, with staying with the Wizards still being his first choice.

According to ESPN reporter Marc Spears on Wednesday, Washington Wizards star Trae Young plans to decline his $48.97 million player option for the 2026/27 season. This means Young will enter free agency next Monday, but staying in Washington remains his preferred option.

Spears further pointed out that both Trae Young and the Wizards are willing to continue their partnership. NBA insider Marc Stein had previously disclosed that the two sides might reach a three-year, approximately $120 million contract extension.

In the Wizards' grand vision, Trae Young and Anthony Davis will be given leadership roles next season. The management is eager to build a new roster that balances immediate impact and long-term future potential, using them as the core of the team, supplemented by young talents such as Alex Sarr, Kaysean George, and Trae Johnson.

As the fifth overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, Trae Young spent the first seven and a half years of his professional career with the Atlanta Hawks. Before being traded to the Wizards this February, he played 493 regular-season games for the Hawks, averaging 25.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.0 steals in 34.3 minutes per game, earning numerous accolades including four All-Star selections and one assists title.

Trae Young also played 27 games in the playoffs, averaging 26.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 9.0 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

Due to injuries, Trae Young has only played 15 games this season. During this period, he played 5 regular season games for the Wizards, averaging only 15.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 6.2 assists in 20.8 minutes per game.

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