Trae Young Not Worried About Wizards' Preseason Turnovers

The Washington Wizards ended preseason with an NBA-leading 97 turnovers through four games. Yet head coach Brian Keefe downplayed turnovers serving as an early concern, instead reiterating the message that the first four unofficial games serve as a "crash test" for a roster still working to build its chemistry.

Yet new Wizards point guard Trae Young is a big reason for those numbers having accounted for an NBA-leading 20 turnovers through three games and 96.5 minutes. It may sound like a concern for a pass-first point guard that has made involving his teammates a priority through the preseason, but to the four-time All Star, the unofficial start to the season simply marked a chance to shake off some of the rust having played in 15 games in 2025-26. Still, the skillset he's carried over from his time as a facilitator with the Atlanta Hawks has translated in the early stages of his Wizards career, enough for veterans like Deandre Ayton to point to the Wizards' point guard is in "the candy store" with the weapons around him.

Now, Young has put an emphasis on "getting my guys involved" with the games providing a chance to iron out on-court chemistry.

"Whether I pass it or not, they know to get to their spots," Young said.

"I may see something that they may not know is open or maybe not know is there. I may throw it there and we'll have that conversation after."

There is credence to Young's claim given he also ranked third across the NBA with 30 assists, trailing Nikola Jokic's NBA-best 36 assists. Yet how Young was able to do so is what adds confidence in the instant playmaking he adds to the Wizards' offense, totaling 26 assists over his last 80 minutes. That includes notching eight assists in the opening quarter in the win against the Detroit Pistons, followed up with a double-double behind 11 points and 11 assists against Brooklyn.

Young also highlighted how he didn't play in the fourth quarter of any preseason game, one of several stars across the league to do so and a stark difference of the expectation compared to the regular season. Yet with the games now carrying weight with Wednesday night marking the start of the regular season when the Milwaukee Bucks arrive at Capital One Arena for a 7 PM tipoff, Young and the Wizards will look to put it all together on the floor. That also includes the team's culture, one that Young admits has a "great base" heading into the opener.

How that culture unfolds is what is left for Young and his teammates to answer.

"We haven't played a real game yet. That starts Wednesday."