Trae Young Reveals Reasons for New Number After Trade
Trae Young it no longer fit the long-term vision of the Atlanta Hawks and thus a fresh start was needed. The Washington Wizards something was needed to ignite the fan base in the midst of a lengthy rebuild. These two sides are now coming together form a rather intriguing NBA marriage.
As fans process the news, the four-time All-Star point guard is expressing excitement and gratitude upon arrival in Washington DC His rebirth will include a new jersey number. Young will switch to No. 3 as No. 11 Alvin Hayes is retired from the franchise. He explained the significance of the number during his introductory press conference with the Wizards, while also sharing how it felt to put on your new uniform.
“It was surreal, different, it was special,” the 27-year-old told reporters. “(No. 3) was my number my freshman year of high school.. so I gave it back.”
“It was surreal, it was different, it was special … I just take everything about this place … (No. 3) was my freshman year of high school.”
Trey Young dons the Wizards jersey for the first time and wears jersey number 3 🤩
(via @NBA)
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 9, 2026
What could Trae Young do for the Wizards?
Young is looking forward to hitting third in his first game for Washington, but it’s currently unclear when he will get that opportunity. The 2021-22 All-NBA third-team selection is currently nursing a sprained MCL, first suffered in October, and a quadriceps contusion. He is he will not play in the home game on Friday night against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Wizards will send their 2026 draft pick to the New York Knicks if they fall outside the top eight in the lottery, so some fans are confused about the timing of this trade. Well, on Friday they got a little more clarity. Josh Robbins from The Athletic doesn’t think the team is overly concerned about seeing Tree Young “put together a ton of reps” with the existing roster. The former NBA assists leader’s health status could allow management to keep him on the sidelines.
There will be plenty of backlash if that scenario plays out, but the Wizards seem to value Young most for what he can do for them in the future. Assuming he picks up a $49 million player option in his contract for next season, the new No. 3 could make an impact on Washington’s young core. He can form an impactful duo with center Alex Sara and help push alongside running backs Bub Carrington and Tre Johnson in their developmental stages.
After a thrilling trip to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, Young failed to elevate the Hawks as many had hoped. His high-volume, low-efficiency attacking style seemingly has a ceiling. But he can still push the Wizards through their rebuild. There will likely be plenty of excitement at Capital One Arena when Trae Young represents Washington for the first time.
2026-01-10 00:59:00
