Kevin Durant was excited for the Washington Wizards and Trae Young. The DC native was hyped when he spoke of the new-look Wizards with Young and Anthony Davis.
The two-time NBA champion’s comments come on the back of the Houston Rockets’ 123-118 win on Monday.
Kevin Durant Excited for the Wizards with Trae Young as Their Playmaker
Speaking to the reporters after the win, Durant believed the East team would be an impressive side with both Young and Davis in the fold.
“He’s a dynamic guy that can create for everybody else, score for himself,” Durant said. “This is gonna make the game easier for everybody else on the floor. You know, he’s a true point guard, and right now they’re kind of doing it by committee, so with him out there, it’ll ease everybody’s mind and their game, and they can just settle into their roles.”
He also added that he was excited for his hometown. “I’m excited for AD to get to put the jersey on, too, and represent the city. I see bright things in their future.”
On the game front, Durant ended with 30 points and seven rebounds. Alperen Şengün led the side with 32 points and 13 rebounds. Amen Thompson chipped in with a 22-point double-double with 12 rebounds.
After being out of postseason reckoning for four seasons, Washington swooped in for Young from the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the 2026 NBA trade deadline. They added the All-Star guard to the fold by sending veteran CJ McCollum and wing Corey Kispert.
Young played just 10 games this season, averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists. His right knee MCL sprain and quad contusion have kept him out of action for a major part of this season.
Davis had a short stint with the Dallas Mavericks after he was traded to the side for Luka Dončić in a blockbuster trade last year during the deadline. Now, the multiplayer trade saw the All-Star big man head to DC.
Jaden Hardy, D’Angelo Russell, and Dante Exum for AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Khris Middleton, and Marvin Bagley III rounded up the additional names. Two first-round picks and three second-round picks completed the deal. Davis averaged 20.4 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 20 games before the surprising move.
Both Young and Davis are yet to take the floor for the Wizards this season. With the franchise releasing an injury update on their stars last month, it will be a while before the two lace up.
At the time of writing, the team is well out of the playoff race with a 16-44 record. They are 13th in the Conference standings and will hit an early offseason. In a way, the breather provides Davis and Young ample time to recover and stay primed for the new season. It remains to be seen if the duo can lead the Wizards to a playoff run in their first year together.
