Washington Wizards star, who is worth $212 million, had a lackluster outing in their brutal loss against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.
Trae Young scored just 4 points as the Wizards suffered a 114-75 blowout loss to the Thunder on Saturday.
Young, who locked in a heavily scrutinized four-year, $212 million contract extension with Washington over the offseason, had a nightmarish shooting performance. He went 1-of-6 from the field in 28 minutes.
he scored 4 points and had 3 assists tonight
Awful Performance For The Wizards
In the game, the Wizards shot under 30% from the field and a dismal 7-of-43 (16%) from the 3-point line.
Rookie and this year’s No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa led the Wizards with 19 points, while Alex Sarr chipped in a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds.
Washington was missing superstar Anthony Davis, who sat out his second consecutive game with an ankle injury.
Meanwhile, the Thunder were led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who coasted to 30 points in 29 minutes to lift OKC to an 8-2 record on the season. The Wizards dropped to 4-6.
Trae Young’s Contract The ‘Worst In The NBA’ According To ESPN Analyst
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst called Trae Young’s contract extension with the Washington Wizards “instantaneously one of the worst contracts in the league.”
On The Hoop Collective podcast and Pardon My Take, Windhorst stated that the contract is so massive and restrictive that the Wizards could not trade it unless they attached a high-value asset like a number one overall draft pick.
“I think this is instantaneously one of the worst contracts in the league. I’m sorry I said that. I’m sorry I said it that way. I don’t mean to be mean,” Windhorst said on “The Hoop Collective” podcast. “I don’t think they could trade this contract unless they attach the number one pick to it.”
Young’s contract would pay him roughly $53 million per year, with a player option in the final season after declining his previous option. That means Young takes about 30% of the team’s total salary cap.
Notably, the Atlanta Hawks, Young’s former teams, were eager to move off Young’s previous deal, trading him to Washington in a salary-dump-style transaction that even required taking on other contracts.
While Young remains an elite pick-and-roll playmaker and high-volume distributor, his defensive limitations and multi-year shooting dips (frequently hovering around or below 34% from the 3-point line) raise questions about building a high-level contender around a $53-million-a-year point guard.
The Wizards are trying to build a high-level, defense-oriented roster around Young since last season, drafting AJ Dybantsa and trading for former NBA champion Anthony Davis on top of their already promising young core led by Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George.
Last season with the Hawks, Young missed time with knee issues and a bone bruise in his right foot. After appearing in just five games with Washington following the trade, Young suffered a right quadriceps contusion and lower back irritation during a game, causing him to be shut down.
This season was initially expected to be a breakout one for the Wizards. But with their performances in the first 10 games, the potential is turning bleak for the team.
Wizards $212 Million Superstar Only Scored 4 Points in Big Loss To OKC