The Trae Young trade is official for the Washington Wizards.
The now-former Atlanta Hawks star is in Washington, DC, getting a chance to wear his new uniform and numbers for the cameras.
But when it comes to tip-off time, he’ll be in street clothes. The Wizards officially ruled Young out for the first game since he joined the organization officially.
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Are the Wizards Targeting a Debut Date?
For now, the Wizards don’t seem to have a day on their calendar circled.
As he continues dealing with a quad contusion, the Wizards aren’t willing to clear him to return to the court just yet. It also doesn’t help that he’s been dealing with a knee sprain throughout the year as well.
The Stein Line’s Marc Stein reported that the “expectation” is that Washington will bring Young back “slowly.” It’s the simple way of saying that the Wizards are carefully trying to keep their first-round pick, which is top-eight protected.
The Tank Lives On?
If there is one thing the NBA has learned about the lottery, it’s that nothing is guaranteed.
The Dallas Mavericks weren’t expected to come close to the top range of last year’s draft and they ended up winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.
A few years back, when Victor Wembanyama was entering the draft, the San Antonio Spurs won the drawing in shocking fashion. Anything can happen, and tanking doesn’t guarantee the top spots.
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However, the Wizards need to be in the top eight to simply keep their pick. They aren’t expected to compete in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, so maintaining their draft capital is a priority. With a 10-26 record, they are second-to-last in front of the Indiana Pacers. The Wizards are in good shape in that sense.
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