Trae Young Finally Debuts for Wizards vs Jazz

Trae Young will suit up for the Washington Wizards Thursday at home versus the Utah Jazz, per Shams Charania and confirmed by Young. Coach Brian Keefe told reporters Young would play "17 to 20 minutes." Traded from Atlanta for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, Young has battled injuries this season, appearing in just 10 games and sidelined since Dec. 27 with MCL and quad issues while averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists. Merlin sees a careful, short debut. Washington sits 16-43 and holds a protected first round pick that disappears if it falls outside the top eight, so the team will prioritize the lottery over heavy minutes. As Josh Robbins said, he would be "surprised" if Young logs a lot of time. Fans may get flashes of his magic, but the long game is still the priority.