Knicks will not meet their longtime rival Trae Young in the game against the Wizards.

Trae Young’s Season Seems Over Before Knicks Game

Trae Young, who had only appeared in five games for the Wizards since his January trade from the Hawks, is dealing with a quadriceps contusion and inflammation in his lower back, as announced by the team on Saturday.

“Further updates will be provided as needed,” the Wizards stated.

Young is not expected to play at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, and it seems he may be finished for the season.

Meanwhile, the Wizards are looking to improve their draft position, needing to finish in the bottom four of the NBA to secure a top-eight protected pick for the Knicks. If they don’t manage that this season—and it seems quite possible given their current strategy—New York would receive two second-round picks instead.

Young, who emerged as a rival at MSG after taking down the Knicks in the 2021 playoffs, played just one game against them this season while still with Atlanta.

In that outing, he only managed to score nine points over 31 minutes. Since trading Young, the Hawks have performed significantly better, winning 11 consecutive games before their matchup with the Rockets on Friday.

On the flip side, the Wizards have struggled, currently holding a record of 0-5 with Young on the court, which likely sums up their season’s performance with him.

Mike Brown Reaches 500 Wins

With his victory over the Nets on Friday, Mike Brown became the 40th head coach in NBA history to hit 500 wins.

Interestingly, he now joins an exclusive club of eight coaches who have achieved at least 500 wins while maintaining a winning percentage of 60 percent or greater, including legends like Gregg Popovich and Phil Jackson.

Brown’s career record stands at 500 wins and 329 losses, which is a .603 winning percentage. Before this season with the Knicks—who currently hold a 46-25 record—he also coached the Cavaliers, Lakers, and Kings.

Injury Updates

In other news, Landry Shamet, who injured his knee during the third quarter on Friday, will miss Sunday’s game against the Wizards. His diagnosis is right knee pain.

This will mark Shamet’s first game missed since returning from a dislocated shoulder in mid-January. Recently, he’s been struggling, with just a 26 percent shooting accuracy from beyond the arc in his last 11 games.