Wizards newcomer Trae Young out until after All-Star break

Trae Young won’t be making his Wizards debut anytime soon.

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, Young won’t be reevaluated until after the All-Star break as he continues to recover from right MCL and quad injuries. That timeline means the veteran point guard will miss at least the next 15 games.

Young originally sprained his right MCL in late October and missed 22 straight games before returning in mid-December. He appeared in five of Atlanta’s next six contests, then suffered a right quad contusion that sidelined him for his final six games with the Hawks.

When the Wizards acquired Young last week, there was already an expectation that his workload would be carefully managed in the second half of the season.

Washington is focused on protecting its top-eight protected 2026 first-round pick and placing greater emphasis on Young’s long-term impact beginning in 2026/27.

That said, the situation bears monitoring. Young is classified as a “star” under the NBA’s player participation policy, which limits a team’s ability to sideline a healthy star for extended periods.

There’s no indication the league plans to intervene, but the Wizards’ handling of Young will remain on the radar as the season progresses.