Isiah Thomas: Trae Young Could Turn Washington into LA or Chicago

The Washington Wizards have demonstrated that they are ready to accelerate their rebuild following their trade for Trae Young. The acquisition of the four-time All-Star provides the Wizards with the best player the franchise has had since Bradley Beal. However, many believe Young’s star power may surpass that of Beal. Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas is among them.

Not every team in the NBA has the luxury of markets such as the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls. Regardless of how bad these teams are, they always end up being a hub for star talent. Unfortunately small markets like the Utah Jazz  just don’t enjoy that same luxury.

It can be argued that Washington also falls in the same category, which could explain why they have not had the best of luck in acquiring top-level talent outside of the NBA Draft. Thomas believes that finalizing a trade for Trae Youngmight be the catalyst for a huge change in that regard.

Although Washington has been one of the league’s bottom feeders, Thomas doesn’t believe the market is as small as some people say.

“It’s no different than LA or Chicago,” Thomas said on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. “If you can get it going in D.C., they’ve got all the trimmings. It should be one of the premier hubs in the NBA.”

Thomas’ rationale makes sense. The Wizards are in the nation’s capital, which ranks 22nd in the country’s total population. Unfortunately, however, they simply  haven’t been a good team for the majority of the franchise’s existence.

Thankfully, a team’s past doesn’t limit its future. The Golden State Warriors weren’t once a premier free-agent destination. Then Stephen Curry joined them and changed the trajectory of their franchise. Shortly after, they were able to land stars like Kevin Durant.

The Pistons’ legend believes that Young can be a focal point like Curry in changing the perception of the Wizards’ market for the foreseeable future.

“It’s a place that if you can get it going, you can turn the warrant on there. Trae may be the guy to do it,” Thomas proclaimed.

Young has shown he is capable of being the face of a franchise with the Hawks. After all, he led the team to an improbable Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2021. The Wizards are hoping for some of the same magic now that Young is at the helm of their up-and-coming young core.