The Los Angeles Lakers are always chasing their next superstar, and number one overall pick AJ Dybantsa may be looking for a way out of Washington quickly after the Wizards gave Trae Young a four-year extension worth $212 million. Every dollar matters in the second apron era, and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst is already calling Young’s extension one of the worst contracts in the NBA. Dybantsa profiles to be a superstar and wants to win. The Wizards won’t be a title contender with Young’s contract weighing down their books.
The Lakers often spend years chasing stars before landing them. LeBron James chose to come to LA at 33 years old. Wilt Chamberlain was 32. They did get Shaq at just 24 and Luka at 25. The Lakers had interest in all of those stars from the moment they entered the NBA. It took some time, but the purple and gold always get their next superstar.
The Hawks' salary dumped Young on the Wizards to get out of this nightmare. Atlanta missed the playoffs two straight years and hasn’t won a playoff series since 2021. Ice Trae making $50-plus million per year is not a recipe for team success. With AJ Dybantsa in Washington, it won’t be long before the number one overall pick gets frustrated by the team’s lack of success.
The Lakers’ dreams of landing AJ Dybantsa got real with Wizards’ Trae Young extension
The Bucks just taught any team with a superstar a valuable lesson. If the franchise isn’t building around their alpha, the star become a flight risk. Giannis spent 13 years in Milwaukee and won a championship. He was loyal to the Bucks until it became clear they could no longer build a title contender around him.
The Wizards may be there with Dybantsa from day one. Washington just put one of the NBA’s worst contracts on their books and have Anthony Davis wanting a max extension. If they keep the former Lakers star, Washington will quickly be unable to add the necessary pieces to build a title contender around the number one pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Los Angeles has to build around Luka Doncic. The 27-year-old superstar would still be in his prime at the end of Dybantsa’s rookie contract. Luka has a say over the Lakers’ decision-making and is never afraid to recruit talent. Getting a young superstar wing flanking him is a dream, especially as Luka enters his mid-30s.
Dybantsa is locked in with the Wizards for the next three seasons, but things could get hairy entering year four. If the 6’8 future star refuses an extension, Washington would be feeling the pressure. The Wizards haven’t won a playoff series since 2017 and haven’t even qualified in seven of the last eight years. If they don’t get things together, Dybantsa could quickly be looking to move on.
The Los Angeles Lakers are already planting the seeds. Fans know the franchise let AJ Dybantsa know they were interested in the pre-draft process. That is just the start, and Trae Young’s disastrous extension will make it difficult for the Wizards to contend. If Washington struggles, Dybantsa may want out before the end of his rookie contract. The Lakers will be waiting for that moment, and fans know it is coming in a few years.
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