Wizards season ticket holders might have to be patient until 2027 to witness another significant acquisition.
Guard Trae Young’s participation in Washington this season looks doubtful due to an unexpected trade from the Hawks. As noted by a source, he’s been struggling with injuries, appearing in only 10 games this season before being sent to the struggling Wizards.
One league executive shared thoughts that the Wizards might adopt a conservative strategy regarding Young’s rehabilitation. This seems to be to protect their draft pick, specifically a 2026 first-round pick that’s top-eight protected, which they might otherwise have to forfeit to the Knicks if they finish in the bottom-tier this season. It’s a bit of a tangled situation.
“You know, this is the reality for teams like us,” the executive remarked, emphasizing the chaotic nature of the lottery system. The Hawks were seemingly unable to trade Young earlier because they were losing too much when he played. Meanwhile, the Wizards are in a position where they might not want to play him and risk winning more games, which complicates things further.
Young is recovering from a quadriceps injury, which isn’t typically severe enough to end a season, but the Wizards may not feel a rush to bring him back.
The intentions here seem to be longer-term rather than focusing solely on the current season. With a record of 10-26, the Wizards hold one of the league’s worst standings, trailing behind the Pacers and Mavericks. It appears they might be better off holding onto their draft pick and hoping for a lucky break, potentially setting up a stronger team for 2027.
On top of Young’s absence, they’ve also lost CJ McCollum, who was contributing 18.8 points per game, and Corey Kispert, who added 9.2 points. That’s a significant deficit—losing 28 points per game and relying on lesser-known players isn’t exactly how you build a winning strategy.
