WASHINGTON — Trae Young, the four-time All-Star point guard recently acquired by the Washington Wizards, is expected to build his debut with the team on Thursday when they host the Utah Jazz at Capital One Arena, according to a post on Young’s Instagram account Monday.
The post, featuring Young in Wizards practice gear, included the date “3/5.” Wizards coach Brian Keefe confirmed the expectation during a press conference Monday, stating Young is “trending in that direction” despite having not played in an NBA game since December 27th.
Keefe indicated Young will be on a minutes restriction, likely playing between 17 and 20 minutes, primarily in the first half. “He’s only played 10 games this year,” Keefe explained, referencing Young’s limited playing time this season due to injury.
Young arrived in Washington in an early-January trade with the Atlanta Hawks, with the Wizards sending guards CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to Atlanta in exchange. Prior to the trade, Young had been sidelined with a sprained MCL in his right knee and later a right quadriceps contusion, missing a total of 28 games.
The Wizards had initially cited those injuries as reasons for delaying Young’s debut. Despite the team’s current struggles – holding a record of 16-43 as of Monday and sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference – the decision to activate Young suggests a shift in approach.
Young has averaged 19.3 points and 8.9 assists in his 10 games this season, though his shooting percentages have been lower than his career averages, at 41.5% from the field and 30.5% from three-point range. He is as well averaging a career-low 2.6 turnovers per game.
Thursday’s game against the Jazz presents a potentially favorable matchup for Young’s return, as Utah may be without key players Jaren Jackson Jr. And Lauri Markkanen, according to reports. The Jazz are also vying for a bottom-four record in the league to improve their draft lottery odds.
Young was ejected from the bench during Monday’s game against the Houston Rockets for leaving the bench during an on-court altercation, a development that occurred prior to the confirmation of his Thursday debut.