Trae Young still recovering from MCL and quad injuries, won’t make Wizards debut until after the All-Star break
Trae Young’s debut with the Washington Wizards will have to wait at least another month.
Young, who is still recovering from MCL and quadriceps injuries in his right leg, will not be evaluated again until after the All-Star break next month, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Announcement
That means Young won’t be on the court with the Wizards until at least their Feb. 19 matchup against the Indiana Pacers. The NBA All-Star Weekend is scheduled for Feb. 13-15 at the Intuit Dome in Southern California.
Young was traded to the Wizards earlier this month in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, ending his tenure with the Atlanta Hawks. Young had spent his entire career with the Hawks after being selected with the No. 1 pick. 5 overall in 2018.
Young is in the fourth year of a five-year, $215 million contract this season. He could hit free agency this summer as well, as he has a player option for $49 million next season.
Young has played just 10 games so far this season while dealing with a sprained anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that has reportedly caused him residual pain. He is also battling a right quadriceps contusion. In those 10 games, he averaged 19.3 points and 8.9 assists.
Announcement
“Coming here to do these medicals, they want to make sure I’m right and stuff like that,” Young said in his introductory press conference with the Wizards.
“I don’t want to come back and not be myself for this team and this city. So I’m going to leave it up to them to let you know when I’m coming back, hopefully soon.”
The Wizards will enter Wednesday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers with just a 10-28 record. They have lost three of their last four games and now find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.
While Young will undoubtedly make a huge difference for the Wizards on the court, the team is clearly not willing to rush anything. The Young era in Washington, however long it may be, will have to wait.