Trae Young isn’t exactly hiding the bar he’s set for the Washington Wizards this season.
With the regular season still less than two weeks away, Young has already put a postseason target on the table - and not just any postseason. Asked by a fan to come to his graduation in June, he made it clear he’s aiming to still be playing deep into the spring.
“I would bro, I ain’t gon’ lie. I hope we are in the playoffs, June 2nd. The Finals are in July so that means we still playing,” he said, per WizardsMuse on X, formerly Twitter, via Legion Hoops.
That kind of answer fits the tone around Washington right now. The Wizards have shown some promise in preseason, including an impressive outing against the New York Knicks, where Young stood out alongside Anthony Davis and rookie AJ Dybantsa.
Washington’s roster has changed quickly over the past year. Young came over in a January trade from the Atlanta Hawks and appeared in only a few games for the Wizards because of injury. Not long after that, the team brought in Davis and then landed Dybantsa with the No. 1 overall pick, giving the franchise a new-looking core that mixes established talent with upside.
The pieces are there to make the Wizards one of the more interesting teams in the East, even if some of the other moves around the conference have left plenty of people skeptical about Washington’s ceiling. Young, though, doesn’t sound like someone interested in lowering expectations.
The Wizards open their season on October 21 at home against the Milwaukee Bucks, with a few preseason games still to go before then.
In Other News...
Wizards Face An Early Test Their New Mix Needs To Pass
The Wizards opened the preseason with a win over the Knicks, a nice first look at a roster trying to sort out its new shape before the games start counting. Next up is a home date with the Pistons, another useful measuring stick for a group that is still learning how its pieces fit together, especially on a bench that struggled in the first exhibition and needs a cleaner showing against a Detroit team that likes to pressure offenses in different ways.
All of that makes the injury report worth watching as much as the matchup itself. Alex Sarr and Khris Middleton are both in game-time territory, which leaves Washington waiting on more clarity before tipoff, while the Wizards are already down Tristan Vukcevic and Jamir Watkins. For a team trying to build momentum early, the chance to get a more complete look at the rotation matters almost as much as the result. [Read more 🡒]
Wizards Face One Huge Anthony Davis Decision With Real Risk
Anthony Davis arrival in Washington has shifted the conversation around the Wizards in a hurry, even if the partnership is still in its early stages. After Dallas sent him out in the blockbuster chain reaction that began with the Luka Doni trade, the Wizards suddenly found themselves with a player whose talent changes the ceiling of any roster and whose presence instantly makes them more relevant in the leagues long view.
There is still real uncertainty attached to the move, though, and Washington is not rushing into a long-term commitment. Davis and the Wizards are both weighing what comes next, with extension talks expected to happen during or after the season, and the franchise is trying to balance the upside of keeping him around with the risk that always follows a player whose recent availability has been a major concern. [Read more 🡒]
Deandre Ayton Gets A Fresh Wizards Chance He Desperately Needed
Deandre Aytons arrival gives Washington one of the more intriguing reclamation projects on its roster. The 2018 No. 1 pick is now with his fourth team in five seasons, and the move comes with the kind of low-pressure, high-clarity setup he has not always had elsewhere. For the Wizards, it is another swing at finding a useful veteran presence in the frontcourt while trying to steady a rebuild that still needs more dependable production around the paint.
Ayton is not being asked to carry everything or force his way into a centerpiece role right away. Instead, this looks like a chance to lean into the parts of his game that can matter most for Washington: defensive rebounding, efficient scoring near the rim and giving the team a steadier option when the front line is short-handed. If he can settle into that lane, the Wizards could get more than just depth - they could get a player who helps them inch toward something closer to a turnaround. [Read more 🡒]