Washington Wizards guard Trae Young, who is recovering from a right knee MCL sprain and a right quad contusion, will be re-evaluated after the mid-February All-Star break, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Young has yet to appear for the Wizards since they acquired him from the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 7 in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. He will at least miss the Wizards’ next 15 games as they keep their protected pick in mind.
Washington’s 2026 first-round pick is top-8 protected, which means they must finish inside the NBA’s bottom four records to guarantee they keep their selection. They currently own the league’s fourth-worst record — a key reason behind their cautious approach with Young’s injuries.
While the Wizards’ newly acquired point guard had missed five games with a quad contusion even before the trade, Atlanta hadn’t listed his MCL sprain on his injury designation since he returned on Dec. 18. That hasn’t been the case for the Wizards, who listed both his MCL sprain and quad contusion before contests with the New Orleans Pelicans, Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Clippers.
Yes, the Wizards are being “cautious” with Young’s injuries. But it’s important to note they are doing so with their protected pick at the forefront of their decision.
Young has appeared in just 10 games this season. Wizards fans will have to wait a bit longer to see him play his 11th, which will mark his first in a Washington uniform.
