NBA Rumors: Wizards, Trae Young, DPE, Clippers, Knicks, Guerschon Yabusele

Wizards

The question in Washington is no longer about wins and losses. That part is settled. The Wizards are headed for the lottery and perhaps the very top of it.

The real question is how much Trae Young plays, and when.

Washington still projects to finish with the league’s worst record, per ESPN’s Basketball Power Index. That makes player development the priority, not short-term results.

Young is working his way back from injury, and the organization must balance letting him build chemistry with protecting the bigger picture.

Meanwhile, the Wizards were granted a disabled player exception after Cam Whitmore was ruled out for the season with a blood clot in his shoulder, per Jake Fischer of The Stein Line. The DPE is worth roughly $1.77 million and expires March ten.

League sources believe it likely goes unused. It is small, and Washington already has more useful exceptions in its pocket. Still, flexibility never hurts.

Clippers

Roster math is driving decisions in Los Angeles.

According to Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints, the Clippers want to create room to promote two-way standouts Kobe Sanders and Jordan Miller to standard deals.

That means someone has to go.

League chatter points to Chris Paul or Kobe Brown as the likeliest trade pieces. Waiving either does not solve the cap problem. A trade does.

It is less about talent and more about arithmetic.

Knicks

The Knicks continue to shop Guerschon Yabusele, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

The fit never materialized, and the numbers have not helped. Yabusele is averaging under three points per game while shooting below forty percent. His modest salary helps. His player option complicates things.

San Antonio remains a name to watch because of Victor Wembanyama, Yabusele’s national team frontcourt mate.

Right now, the Knicks are listening. And hoping someone believes a change of scenery is the answer.