Trae Young did not want Washington Wizards fans to see him in action with his new uniform for the first time like this.
A deepfake video of Young dancing in the locker room has surfaced online, and the man himself responded to the clip on Instagram Stories. "Nahhh A.I. is crazy," he wrote, followed by several laughing emojis.
ESPN senior NBA insider Shams Charania reported on Wednesday (Jan. 14) that Young will be held out, with MCL and quad injuries on his right leg, until he's re-evaluated after the NBA All-Star Game next month. Wizards head coach Brian Keefe told reporters that the team is prioritizing Young's health with this decision.
The Wizards acquired the four-time NBA All-Star from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert last week.
According to ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, the Wizards will pick up Young's $49 million player option for next season. He will be an unrestricted free agent the following season, unless both sides can come to an agreement on a contract extension.
The Wizards' cautious approach towards Young aligns with the team's best interest for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. As of this writing, the Wizards have a 10-29 record, the third-worst record in the NBA. If Washington's first-round pick in this year's draft falls outside the top eight, it will belong to the New York Knicks.
