{"id":628196,"date":"2026-02-27T12:36:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T12:36:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/628196\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T12:36:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T12:36:18","slug":"what-nba-scouts-are-saying-about-anthony-davis-trae-young-and-the-2026-27-wizards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/628196\/","title":{"rendered":"What NBA scouts are saying about Anthony Davis, Trae Young and the 2026-27 Wizards"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Washington Wizards\u2019 trades for Anthony Davis and Trae Young have fundamentally changed Wizards players\u2019 expectations for the 2026-27 season. Washington\u2019s incumbent youngsters now see a profound transition in the works, an evolution from a team now focused on its draft position and on player development into a team that next season will aim for a postseason berth.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s great,\u201d third-year forward Bilal Coulibaly said after a recent game. \u201cWe\u2019re already talking about the playoffs, how different it will be. We were talking about it with Trae and AD this morning. They\u2019re just talking to us a lot about all that stuff. We\u2019ve never been there, so we don\u2019t know what it looks like. But we can\u2019t wait.\u201d<\/p>\n

Is that confidence justified? With Davis and Young in the fold, alongside this June\u2019s first-round pick and a returning nucleus of Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bub Carrington, Tre Johnson, Will Riley and Coulibaly, what is realistic? How will the team fit together?<\/p>\n

To answer those questions, The Athletic enlisted the help of four NBA scouts. The Athletic granted them anonymity because teams do not allow their scouts to speak to news outlets about opposing players. Without granting anonymity, articles such as this one could not exist. Anonymity also allows the scouts to be completely honest, without fear of reprisals.<\/p>\n

Wizards officials have described their trades for Davis and for Young as intentional steps to enhance the development of their young players. There is a limit, team officials have said, in the type of growth young players make when their team is not playing close, competitive games on most nights. The additions of Davis and Young are designed to change that; not only should the 2026-27 Wizards play a larger number of tight, high-leverage games, but, for the first time in their pro careers, the youngsters will play in games that feature something tangible at stake: a potential trip to the postseason.<\/p>\n

The four scouts largely agree that the Wizards\u2019 youngsters are entering a brand-new phase in their pro careers.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not in their locker room, but these guys (Davis and Young) are former All-Stars,\u201d Scout A said. \u201cWhere they are in their careers, it remains to be seen. However, I think that it points to the young guys in the locker room that \u2018We\u2019re going in a different direction now. We\u2019ve let you guys have at it for two seasons. But now, we\u2019re looking to accelerate things.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Scout A added: \u201cIt\u2019s a different vibe when you\u2019re going into a game and you\u2019re playing to win a game or you\u2019re playing for playoff positioning. The focus is different. When you add these veteran guys that are talented and have had some success in the league, I think it\u2019ll change the mentality of some of those guys that have been there the last couple of years.\u201d<\/p>\n

How will Anthony Davis and Trae Young fit?<\/p>\n

If you noticed some skepticism about Davis and Young in Scout A\u2019s comments, you are not imagining things.<\/p>\n

That was one point all four scouts made: Just how effective will Davis and Young be?<\/p>\n

The scouts\u2019 hesitation should not come as a surprise. As the new calendar year and the NBA trade deadline approached, it appears that Davis\u2019 and Young\u2019s trade values had never been lower.<\/p>\n

To obtain Davis from the Dallas Mavericks, the Wizards accepted D\u2019Angelo Russell, Dant\u00e9 Exum, Jaden Hardy from Dallas and traded Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Marvin Bagley III, a 2026 first-round pick that likely will fall very late in the first round, a top-20 protected 2030 first-round pick that might not convey and three second-round picks.<\/p>\n

Davis will turn 33 in March, and he has struggled in recent seasons to avoid injuries. At some point, he will also want additional years beyond his current contract, which is scheduled to end with a 2027-28 player option worth $62.8 million.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis injury history speaks for itself,\u201d Scout B said. \u201cWhy is that going to be any different (in Washington)? It\u2019s a total crapshoot whether or not he shows up and plays an appreciable number of games. If he\u2019s healthy, that\u2019s one thing. But you can\u2019t count on that. That would be icing more than anything if he plays 70 games. But inevitably, things have happened with him. So, it\u2019s sort of a double-edged sword. If he plays a reasonable number of games, they\u2019ll be good, they\u2019ll be better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scout C put it more bluntly: \u201cAD\u2019s health is of paramount concern, obviously.\u201d<\/p>\n

Young, who will turn 28 in September, is confronted by a different set of questions: his defense and how oriented he will be toward helping the team\u2019s current young corps make strides.<\/p>\n

To obtain Young from the Hawks, the Wizards sent guards CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to Atlanta. That was a small price for the Wizards to pay for a four-time All-Star who should be approaching the prime of his career.<\/p>\n

Scout D sees the Wizards as offering a probable inflection point for Young\u2019s career. With this opportunity, the scout said, Young will have the potential to reestablish himself as an impactful All-Star-caliber player.<\/p>\n

All the scouts agreed with the conventional wisdom that Young has significant deficiencies as a defender because of his lack of size at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds. No matter what, the scouts said, the Wizards will need a strong defense around him, just as the Hawks needed when Clint Capela served as the Hawks\u2019 primary rim protector.<\/p>\n

Where the scouts diverged is on Washington\u2019s ability to hide Young\u2019s defensive deficiencies.<\/p>\n

Assuming that the Wizards start Coulibaly, George, Davis and Sarr alongside Young, three of the four scouts said the Wizards will have a chance to hide Young\u2019s flaws to a degree.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have two major rim protectors, potentially, there,\u201d Scout B said, referring to Davis and Sarr. \u201cSo it would help a lot. That is a lineup that you could feel somewhat comfortable with in terms of hiding (Young). But still, when your best player is not a good defender and is a constant sieve, that\u2019s not a good starting point, But that would be mitigated by both of those guys, because they both are legitimate rim protectors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Wizards entered Wednesday ranked 28th in the NBA in defensive rating<\/a>, allowing 119.9 points per 100 possessions.<\/p>\n

\u201cTrae\u2019s defense is of paramount concern,\u201d Scout C said. \u201cHe\u2019s coming to a team that\u2019s horrific defensively by the numbers. I don\u2019t care if you\u2019re developing players or trying to win games \u2014 you can\u2019t be that bad defensively and think, \u2018Oh, we\u2019re just going to get these guys and be better.\u2019 We know Trae\u2019s terrible (on defense), and I get the theory of bringing in AD. But AD\u2019s not the AD he was three, five or seven years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

How Davis and Sarr will fit alongside each other intrigued the scouts. Three of the scouts noted that Davis has been vocal at past stops about playing the four instead of the five, which, on offense at least, could be somewhat problematic because Sarr has liked to set up on the perimeter (though has added variety to his offensive repertoire this season, making more forays to the rim).<\/p>\n

\u201cThe question I have is what does this do to Sarr\u2019s development with AD (on the team),\u201d Scout C said. \u201cI think Sarr\u2019s at least shown he\u2019s made a step offensively. Now you\u2019re bringing AD in who, historically, has made it clear \u2014 loudly \u2014 at his other stops (that) he does not want to be the five. He doesn\u2019t want to have to guard fives. He prefers to play on the perimeter, shoot 3s. But I think they probably got him for wanting some of that interior defense. So what does that do to Sarr? How do they complement each other? Does that take away from his development in the process? \u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s the happy medium with both of them? You can play a five-out game, but you\u2019ve got to have somebody down there in the dunker spot. I\u2019m sure they\u2019ll both do it, but are they both going to be bought-in to doing that all the time?\u201d<\/p>\n

The team recently agreed on a multiyear contract with Tristan Vuk\u010devi\u0107 that includes a fully guaranteed 2026-27. But Vuk\u010devi\u0107 profiles as more of a depth piece. It\u2019s likely that the team will seek to add another big man during the offseason \u2014 a physical, big body who can match up against some of the league\u2019s most physical bigs. In that sense, any offseason addition would be similar to the team\u2019s free-agent signing of Jonas Valan\u010di\u016bnas before the 2024-25 season; Valan\u010di\u016bnas often matched up against more physical opponents, saving Sarr from wear-and-tear.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n Anthony Davis, a 10-time All-Star, should help the Wizards on both ends of the floor. (Kevin Jairaj \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

The high upside<\/p>\n

But the positives are substantial, too. A front-office executive from another team recently referred to Davis as \u201ca top-10 player in the league\u201d when Davis is healthy and bought-in.<\/p>\n

Wizards officials regard Young as someone who, because of his shot gravity, passing ability and feel, will generate open shots for the likes of Tre Johnson, George and Carrington, whose 3-point percentages this season range from 37.0 percent to 38.2 percent<\/a> despite recent constant shuffling of lineups. Sarr and Davis, meanwhile, should feast off pick-and-rolls in which Young serves as the ballhandler.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s able to create both for himself and teammates,\u201d Scout A said of Young. \u201cHe\u2019s good to have in that role, I think. \u2026 As far as the game (itself) \u2014 shooting, scoring, passing \u2014 he\u2019s got a lot offensively.\u201d<\/p>\n

This season, the Wizards have largely relied on combo guards such as Carrington or McCollum or on George, who is a point forward, to direct the offense. When their team is fully developed, Wizards officials and coaches envision an offense that will feature multiple ballhandlers.<\/p>\n

As the primary orchestrator, however, Young should provide a massive upgrade.<\/p>\n

Scout B referred to Young as \u201ca real point guard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCarrington\u2019s not a real point guard, in my opinion,\u201d Scout B said. \u201cHe\u2019s a kind of a combo. Most competitive teams have point guards. Whatever you say about Trae Young, he\u2019s a good player. Maybe he\u2019s not going to get them to the promised land, but he\u2019s going to help them win some games.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to keep them in games. They have a closer. Every team needs a closer. He can be a closer at some level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scout D envisions Young and Davis elevating the young nucleus by providing high-level veteran skill during clutch situations.<\/p>\n

Earlier this season, for example, the Wizards relied on McCollum and Middleton to guide them in close games, and McCollum, especially, was helpful in that regard. But Young and a fully healthy Davis should far eclipse what McCollum and Middleton brought to the court. Young and Davis should provide a palpable backstop in late-game situations.<\/p>\n

Then there should be a domino effect in roles.<\/p>\n

For most of their Wizards tenures, the team\u2019s young players have had to occupy offensive roles that they have not been fully ready for. For instance, with Young and Davis out, and with McCollum and Middleton gone, it\u2019s fair to describe George and Sarr as the de facto top options on offense. Those roles have provided the youngsters with valuable experience, but those roles don\u2019t accurately correspond to where George and Sarr are at this stage of their careers as second-year players. Carrington and Tre Johnson arguably occupy roles that they are not fully ready for, either.<\/p>\n

But the youngsters\u2019 slots on offense should change once Young and Davis start playing regularly.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not in their eventual roles, probably,\u201d Scout B said. \u201cI mean, do they really even have a No. 1 option now? No. But somebody\u2019s got to take the responsibility now to score. So, guys will probably be pushed down to levels where their talents are matched more with their actual role, which is probably not the case now because they don\u2019t really have anybody who\u2019s a number-one or a number-two option.\u201d<\/p>\n

For now, however, the Wizards\u2019 young players are especially difficult to evaluate, though Sarr has made clear progress<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they\u2019ve got solid wings,\u201d Scout C said. \u201cI really like Kyshawn George\u2019s potential. He\u2019s not quite there yet. Bub, I was a little lukewarm on and have started to warm up on him. I think he\u2019ll be a great backup to Trae.\u201d<\/p>\n

Scout C added: \u201cCoulibaly, I have a hard time evaluating where he is (with his growth), but I don\u2019t see any (growth on) offense. I see the length, and I see the athleticism, but I don\u2019t always see what some people say they see and this defensive promise. I just don\u2019t see it consistently enough, and maybe that\u2019s because they\u2019ve just been losing. I think Sarr\u2019s shown some promise and some development this year. So they should be better on paper for sure (with Davis and Young).\u201d<\/p>\n

How much better?<\/p>\n

All four scouts said the Wizards\u2019 fortunes in 2026-27 and for the long term will hinge partly on how the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery goes and whether the team makes the right pick, wherever it lands. That, of course, is an obvious point.<\/p>\n

But assuming good health from Davis and Young, three of the four scouts said a playoff appearance next season will be within the Wizards\u2019 reach. Scout D said the Wizards likely will be a playoff team, with their floor being a Play-In exit.<\/p>\n

Scout C said: \u201cOn talent alone, they\u2019re going to be better. The bottom half of the East is historically always tough to watch, sixth through eighth, with the Play-In teams. They can definitely get in that conversation.<\/p>\n

The least optimistic assessment came from Scout B, who doesn\u2019t see Washington overtaking Detroit, Boston, New York, Cleveland, Toronto, Philadelphia, Miami or Indiana (which will have Tyrese Haliburton back).<\/p>\n

\u201cTo me, they\u2019re fighting for nine and 10,\u201d Scout B said. \u201cA playoff team? That would be shocking.\u201d<\/p>\n

The most optimistic forecast came from Scout A.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey should be a playoff team,\u201d he said. \u201cYou just look at the East. It\u2019s relative to where they are, and obviously teams will change. With the draft and free agency, rosters will look different. However, if I look at the current landscape, if Trae Young and Anthony Davis are playing close to the level that they\u2019re capable of, there shouldn\u2019t be a reason why they\u2019re not competing in the East.\u201d<\/p>\n

The specific forecasts indeed are subject to debate.<\/p>\n

The big picture isn\u2019t. The scouts agree: The Wizards are about to enter a new phase in their build.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Washington Wizards\u2019 trades for Anthony Davis and Trae Young have fundamentally changed Wizards players\u2019 expectations for the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":628197,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3780],"tags":[7,6,682,468,3892,683],"class_list":{"0":"post-628196","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-washington-wizards","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-nba","10":"tag-washington","11":"tag-washington-wizards","12":"tag-washingtonwizards","13":"tag-wizards"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116142630483758261","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/628196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=628196"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/628196\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/628197"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=628196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=628196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=628196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}