Preview: Washington Wizards Host Atlanta in Trae Young Reunion

After a string of games on the road, the Washington Wizards are set to return to action, yet this time back inside Capital One Arena.

The Wizards are set for the first of two matchups against the Atlanta Hawks, marking the first opportunity for Trae Young to square off against his former team since being traded in the first of Washington's two franchise-defining trades midway through the 2025-26 regular season. Yet Wednesday will mark the first time that both CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert make their way back to Washington after the two teams met twice last season with both meetings set in Atlanta.

Wednesday will also serve as the first of two meetings with the teams set to meet for a 7 PM tipoff on Friday in Atlanta, marking the day when Young officially makes his return to the city he first called home in the NBA.

While the Wizards enter Wednesday sitting above .500 overall, the Hawks will look to move back over .500 both overall and on the road. Atlanta took down the Indiana Pacers, 108-104, on Monday night for their fourth win of the season.

The Wizards will also enter tipoff with questions to sort through on their availability report. The team previously announced that two-way guard Reece Beekman would be re-evaluated in three weeks after being diagnosed with a right AC joint injury. Beekman is one of four players already ruled out alongside Justin Champagnie, Tristan Vukcevic and Jamir Watkins. Both Anthony Gill and Alex Sarr remain questionable on the injury report, with Gill battling low back spasms and Sarr battling through left knee soreness. General manager Will Dawkins previously noted that Sarr's status is more in line with day-to-day, adding a question whether the seven-footer will ultimately be available at home after missing the win on Monday night. Gill, meanwhile, has played just one minute this season.

The Hawks will be without multiple pieces after previously ruling Mouhamed Gueye, Jock Landale and Henri Veesaar out. Gueye is sidelined with a left foot fracture, while Landale is battling a left hip strain and Veesaar a right ACL tear. Both RayJ Dennis and Jalen Johnson are ruled questionable, while both two-way signings Keshon Gilbert and Jalen Wilson are also ruled doubtful ahead of tipoff.

Tipoff is also set for 7 PM as the Wizards look to complete their best start since the 2021-22 regular season.