The disdain for Trae Young by the faithful followers of the New York Knicks is, without question, one of the most intense player-vs-fan rivalries the league currently has to offer.
Yet, in an odd turn of events, we actually may find the fanbase rooting for the All-Star over these next few months of regular-season play.
Wednesday night, Young was traded to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
On the surface, the move seems to have little to no impact on the Knicks, as neither player heading to Atlanta is a real game-changing talent, while the Wizards are still the fourth-worst team in the entire association at 10-26.
However, when digging a bit deeper, given Young's star power, his addition to Washington's arsenal could actually wind up single-handedly giving New York a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Knicks owed Wizards' 2026 first-rounder if it falls outside top-eight
Rerouted to the Knicks following the 2020 trade that sent John Wall from D.C. to Space City, New York is now owed Washington's upcoming first-rounder should it fall outside of the top eight.
During these early stages of the 2025-26 campaign, it looked rather likely that said pick would not wind up conveying, as the cellar-dwelling Wizards have resided close to or at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings all year and, if the season were to end today, they'd be in line for the fourth overall pick.
However, now with Young in tow, more wins will presumably be coming Washington's way.
No, they should by no means be seen as a threat to make a push for a playoff spot or even a Play-In Tournament berth this season. However, though some Knicks fans may be unwilling to admit it, the point guard's good enough on his own to lift Washington up the standings.
The 27-year-old is an established All-NBA player who, throughout his eight seasons in the association, boasts impressive per-game averages of 25.2 points, 9.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 35.1 percent from deep.
On top of his proven production, Young also finds himself in a contract year (owns a player option for the 2026-27 season) and is looking to lock in a lofty new, multi-season deal this coming summer.
The incentive for him to ball out during these next few months of action is already there, which, in turn, should only make the Wizards a more competitive group and, as a result, more prone to wins.
With all this in mind, New York fans should be rooting for Washington moving forward.