Trae Young is doing exactly what Wizards need despite shooting woes originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Trae Young's reputation as an impressive shot-maker precedes him. But in Wizards colors, he's found it much harder to get his shot to fall.
The diminutive point guard is arguably best known for his trifecta, a shot that can prove glittering when wet. Young has three seasons with more than 200 three-pointers made in his career. He would likely have more had he been dealt some positive injury luck over the years.
In 2026-27, though, his shot has looked far less lively. Young is shooting well under 40 percent from the field and a little over 30 percent from three. His scoring hasn't lived up to its billing thus far.
And yet, there's a case to be made he has been vital to Washington's efforts as it attempts to climb up the Eastern Conference table. Here's why.
Trae Young is doing exactly what Wizards need despite shooting woes
To say Young is shooting poorly thus far would be an understatement. The Wizards guard is shooting a little over 36 percent on the year, seven percentage points below his career average. His 56.5 percent true shooting rate sits just 0.5 percent higher than the league-average rate, per Databallr, a disappointing mark given Young's reputation as an accomplished shooter from range.
And yet, there's a case to be made that Young has been as effective as ever for 2-1 Washington. He leads the league in assists (11.3 per game), proving an excellent distributor to a Wizards side that has hopes to surge into relevancy in 2026-27. Young ranks in the 100th percentile in points created (47.7 per game) and rim assists (7.0). He also has kept his turnover numbers exceedingly low, surrendering the ball just 2.3 times per contest.
Young's willingness to shoot from anywhere on the floor has drawn him admirers throughout his career. It's his playmaking that has proven especially valuable to Washington. With AJ Dybantsa yet to make his debut, there's even more dynamism to be unearthed within the Wizards' ranks. Young will be key to helping unlock that offensive potential — even if his shot isn't falling.