This has been Trae Young's debut with the Washington Wizards

The debut of Trae Young with the Washington Wizards had to wait almost 21 minutes to make his first big play at the Capital One Arena, but when it happened, it was spectacular.

After receiving the ball beyond the three-point line, Young faked the shot, causing his defender to jump. He then attacked the basket and, in full penetration, faked a behind-the-back pass to Leaky Black in the left corner with his right hand. At the last moment, he switched the ball to his left and finished with a difficult layup. The Washington crowd erupted.

The game's context was not the best. The Wizards were trailing by 15 points at that time against the Utah Jazz, and Young, in his first game since being traded to Washington in January, had a minutes restriction. He also didn't have his best night shooting from outside, as he only made one of the five three-pointers he attempted. He finished with 12 points and six assists in the 122-112 defeat.

Nevertheless, during his time on the court, he made it clear the type of player he can be for Washington. Young, 27, displayed the creativity and playmaking ability that made him one of the most spectacular figures in the NBA during his over seven seasons with the Atlanta Hawks. Ball-handling capable of breaking ankles, no-look passes, and long-range shots were part of the repertoire that delighted the audience.

The point guard himself compared the night to his debut in the league, when he played with the Hawks against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden eight years ago. He admitted that he couldn't sleep the night before back then. This time, his main goal was to regain sensations after not playing since December 27 and get back into a competitive rhythm.

Young found points in pick-and-roll plays or with his characteristic step-back, but missed several open three-pointers he normally converts.

“I think I played decently,” he explained after the game. “My shots were on target, but I simply didn't have the legs.”

In his early minutes, he acted more as a facilitator than a scorer. Towards the end of the second quarter, he had a wide-open three-pointer after a screen from Anthony Gill, but chose to swing the ball to Tre Johnson in the left corner for an open shot.

“Trae is a very generous passer,” commented power forward Julian Reese. “He is a great scoring threat and at the same time, always willing to pass. There are not many point guards like that in this league.”

One of the plays that could have been the most spectacular of the night was nullified by a timeout. Young threw a long pass to Bilal Coulibaly, running on the right side on a fast break, just as coach Brian Keefe had called for a stoppage.

“It caught me too quickly,” Keefe joked. “He released the ball just as I was calling the timeout. I thought, ‘Oh no.’ But those things happen.”

Although he showed flashes of his usual talent, it was also evident that he had been out of competition for over two months and was still adapting to his new teammates. Reese, recently signed to a two-way contract, missed some of the interior passes that Young usually executes in pick-and-roll situations, one of his specialties.

In another fast break in the second quarter, Young found Johnson completely open in the right corner, but the shot didn't go in. He also attempted a behind-the-back pass to Coulibaly that ended up in the front rows of the stands.

“I'm learning to play with these guys, and they with me,” explained Young. “There will be moments where they'll be surprised when the ball comes to them unexpectedly.”

Young played 19 minutes spread over the first three quarters and did not play in the final period. During that time, he had some standout plays in the second half. In the third quarter, he assisted backward to Johnson for a three-pointer and shortly after, he threaded a pass between Blake Hinson's legs to Anthony Gill, who scored despite the defense. Later on, in another fast break, he found Bub Carrington in the left corner for a wide-open three-pointer that brought the score to 87-77.

While the offense seems to be a matter of time before it improves with the presence of the point guard, defense was the team's main problem. Young, standing at 1.88 meters, has historically struggled in that aspect, and Utah targeted him from the very first possession. The Jazz constantly involved him in direct picks and screens to create advantages.

Overall, Washington had many issues in transition defense and on the perimeter. Utah made 15 three-pointers and easily found driving lanes to the basket.

“We had difficulties containing the dribble,” stated Keefe. “Penetration was the major problem. We didn't protect well on the first step to the basket, and our team defense wasn't tight enough.”

Since his arrival in the capital, Young has been trying to connect with the fans and with the city's sports history. After his trade in January, he has been seen wearing jerseys of players who have competed in Washington, such as John Wall, Allen Iverson at Georgetown, or Alex Ovechkin from the Capitals.

He even had a remarkable episode before his debut. During the game against the Houston Rockets on March 2, he was ejected from the bench for stepping onto the court to argue with a referee during a dispute between Jamir Watkins and Tari Eason.

“I knew they wouldn't eject me today if I was playing,” he said laughing.

The game against Utah was his eleventh of the season. Injuries to the medial collateral ligament in his right knee and to the quadriceps limited him to only 10 games in what turned out to be his final season with Atlanta.

The Wizards' Time

After his first game with Washington —which marked their seventh consecutive loss, leaving the team with a record of 16-46— Young is already thinking about the future.

“I haven't won a championship or played in the Finals, but I've been two games away,” he recalled. “I know what it takes to achieve it. It's about trying to go further here.”

The point guard stated that the project must be built gradually.

“That's what I like about being here right now. We talk a lot about daily habits and improving each day. Whether in the gym, with your body, or with your mind. Those habits are what we hope will lead us to long-term success.”

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