Fans got the first taste of Washington Wizards star Trae Young in action on Monday. Young was almost part of the action when his teammate, Jamir Watkins, was shoved by Houston Rockets forward Tari Eason. The Wizards guard complained to the referees since they did not blow their whistles.
On the other end of the court, Young was jawing at an official for turning a blind eye to the blatant shove from Eason. The four-time All-Star got up from the bench and walked over to one of the referees at the baseline. He was quickly assessed a technical foul for complaining.
During that sequence, there was an altercation between Eason and Watkins. The play had to be reviewed, and veteran NBA referee Tony Brothers announced that Young was ejected for stepping onto the court. This all happened to the star guard before his Wizards debut, which is set to happen on Thursday against the Utah Jazz, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
On X, Young sent a message to fans, promising to have the same energy when he's active and back on the floor.
"Don’t expect me to get ejected too many more times D.C.😂 .. but I’m definitely bringing that energy & competitiveness when I’m back for my brothers! 🫶🏽" Young posted.
Young has not played since Dec. 27 due to a sprained right knee and bruised quadriceps. He's been limited to 10 games this year, which he all played with the Hawks. During that stretch, he averaged 19.3 points and 8.9 assists on 30.5% shooting from deep. His numbers this season are his lowest since his rookie season.
However, it is anticipated that Young's numbers with the Wizards would improve with a new squad and system. Fans should be thrilled when he returns to the court, though, given the recent enthusiasm he had against the Rockets.
Fans should also get excited about Young's future in Washington.
Wizards Expected to Sign Trae Young to a Contract Extension
The Hawks didn't want to sign Young to a contract extension, which was one of the reasons he was transferred. Fortunately for the star guard, the Wizards are expected to sign the star guard to a new deal, according to Marc Stein of "The Stein Line" on Monday.
“I've been repeatedly advised to expect Young and the Wizards to come to terms on a contract extension this summer that is widely projected to be a three-year deal,” Stein reported.
There are no further details about the potential contract extension Young could get from Washington. But it's a good sign that the organization wants the one-time All-NBA player to lead the Wizards' young core.