The Washington Wizards are set to face off against the Utah Jazz on Thursday in an important game that could play a major factor in the two team's tanking efforts come this offseason.
There's no doubt that if Washington hopes to keep the dream alive to land a top prospect in the 2026 NBA Draft, this game is a key one to drop on the schedule.
Nonetheless, with the recent news of Trae Young's debut set for Thursday's matchup against Utah, those dreams just received a major wrinkle.
Trae Young's debut could ruin Wizards' tanking strategy
The Wizards rough start to the season put them in position to make one last push at a top lottery pick to cap of their rebuilding effort.
With the team forming a new superstar duo of Anthony Davis and Young ahead of the NBA trade deadline, it became clear that all eyes were on competing in 2026-27, which is exactly why tanking this season should be at the top of the team's to-do list.
However, the team's determination to have Young and hopefully Davis debut down the stretch could be two factors that flip the team's offseason plans on its head.
Young will be on a minutes restriction, but based on his ability to pull a struggling Atlanta Hawks out of the mud and into the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, it's clear the playmaker impacts winning when he's on the floor.
Washington will get their first chance to see just how much the Oklahoma product impacts winning on Thursday.
The problem? Thursday's matchup is a must-lose game.
Wizards have to lose against Utah
Washington currently sits at the bottom of the NBA standings with the fourth-worst record in the league at 16-43.
Behind them? The Jazz, who's 18-42 record puts them just 1.5 games of surpassing Washington at the bottom of the standings.
Looking back at last offseason, Utah's selection of Ace Bailey just ahead of the Wizards alone should make Washington determined to do everything in their power to avoid a similar scenario from unfolding this offseason.
In a perfect world, Young absolutely balls out in his limited minutes proving the Wizards bold swing to be a smart move and Washington still manages to fall to a talented Jazz squad.
Nonetheless, based on Utah's outlandish tanking efforts over the last few months, it's safe to assume that the reality of the above scenario is unfortunatlely an unlikely outcome.