Trae Young might be off to yet another stop in the Southeast Division.
The Miami Heat could potentially pursue the four-time All-Star guard Young in an offseason trade, according to a report on Monday by veteran NBA writer Jake Fischer. Additionally, Fischer notes that Young would be a backup option for the Heat if they are unable to pull off a trade for Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Young, 27, is currently with the Washington Wizards after being traded there by the Atlanta Hawks this part January. He holds a $48.9 million player option for next season but is widely expected to sign a new extension with the Wizards this summer.
Still, Washington appears to be mulling over their options with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft later this month. If they decide to select ex-Kansas star guard Darryn Peterson (as Peterson himself seems to be gunning for), that could lead to a logjam of sorts in the Wizards’ backcourt with Young.
As for the Heat, the former NBA MVP Antetokounmpo remains their clear-cut Plan A this offseason. But with some rival teams starting to mount serious Antetokounmpo pursuits of their own, Miami would indeed be wise to explore some contingency plans in case of emergency.
Earlier this month, we learned what Young’s expected new contract extension from the Wizards might look like. But with a several moving chess pieces on the board right now (Antetokounmpo, Peterson, etc.), perhaps Young should not be completely resigned to continuing his tenure in Washington just yet.