February 24, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Trae Young (3) watches from the bench during the second half of the Washington Wizards’ game against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Image Trae Young is scheduled to make his long-awaited Washington Wizards debut on Thursday night against the Utah Jazz.
Mr. Young announced this in a video posted to his Instagram account on Monday. He hasn’t played for the Wizards since they acquired him in a trade with the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 9.
The four-time NBA All-Star has been limited to just 10 games this season due to knee and quad injuries. He is averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists per game and will provide an immediate boost to Washington’s offense.
Young is expected to be limited to one minute against Utah, and the current plan is to play 17 to 20 minutes.
He’s already made his presence known to his teammates after being ejected during the Wizards’ 123-118 loss to Houston on Monday. Young left the bench and walked onto the court to protest the no-call after Jamir Watkins was pushed by Houston’s Tari Eason.
“Don’t expect me to get kicked out of DC too much,” Young said in a post on his X account. “But I will definitely bring that energy and competitiveness when I come back for my brothers!”
Even while on the sideline, Young tried to take an active role in helping the team get better.
Washington has lost six straight games since losing 126-109 to Orlando on Tuesday. But his efforts to coach and provide feedback to his teammates on the bench have not gone unnoticed.
“He’s talking to everyone during every timeout,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe told The Athletic. “He sees a lot. He has so much to share. He’s fully involved in the whole game, so it’s no surprise that he stands up for his teammates. That’s who he is and we’re lucky to have him.”
Amid the slump, Utah also competed fiercely.
The Jazz have dropped seven straight games after losing 106-102 to Philadelphia on Wednesday night. Nonetheless, they had numerous fierce rivalries during that period.
Monday’s 128-125 loss to the Denver Nuggets is a prime example.
Utah pushed the Nuggets throughout the fourth quarter and actually scored nine straight points to take a 122-118 lead with 2:13 left. Keyonte George, who scored 36 points, continued his surge with four straight baskets and finished with a dunk on a steal.
George led Utah with 30 points against the 76ers on Wednesday. He hit back-to-back 3-pointers to help the Jazz build a 100-94 lead with 4:51 left before Philadelphia closed the game with a 12-2 run.
Despite being a long way off the postseason, Utah is playing like a team that isn’t thinking ahead about its offseason vacation plans.
“We may engage in a little psychological warfare,” George told the Deseret News on Monday. “Try to trick yourself into thinking that these last few games are just us trying to find our rhythm as a team and maybe we could make it to the postseason.”
–Field level media
