We’re all still going through the stages of grief over the Trae Young news, I know. But it’s time to turn the page.
To catch up, Shams Charania of ESPN reported on the latest news that the Hawks and Young’s camp are working together to seek a trade for him:
Young’s reps and Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh have begun positive and collaborative talks over the past week on finding a resolution, sources said.
The Hawks and Young’s agents have maintained dialogue over his future over the past several months
— since the franchise elected not to offer a contract extension to the 27-year-old guard.
We also need to come to grips with the fact that this team is no good. Overall, they’re 18th in net rating (-1.4), but since November 25, they’re 22nd (112.9) in offensive rating, 24th in defensive rating (117.8), and 27th in net rating (-4.9). Nasty.
There is still time to turn things around with the 44 games that remain, but I don’t see much of a path after the 82 games are played even if they find a way to squeak into the playoffs via the Play-In Tournament — something they’re not even guaranteed to reach.
The Bulls, Bucks, and even Hornets are all in the mix for ninth and tenth places in the Eastern Conference, a far cry from the projected fourth place finish preseason for the Hawks. This season is, frustratingly, being flushed down the toilet.
That preamble leads into the fact that Trae Young will also be off the roster by the February 5 trade deadline it seems, and a Young-like talent won’t be coming the other direction. The trade will likely make the team farther from competitiveness in the short term, although maybe they could find some nice fit pieces on the fringes of a deal or deals.
The Hawks have to focus on righting the ship in 2026-27 and prepping for a better future over trying to salvage the wreckage that is their 2025-26 season.
So now, what can the Hawks get for Young in return? Well, lower your expectations — it’s not likely to be much.
Right or wrong, Young is seen as a physically declining, easy target on defense whose offensive prowess only just makes up for the effect on a team’s defense. Additionally, he makes right at $46 million for this season with a roughly $49 million option that teams believe he will pick up this offseason.
The primary motivation for why this situation has escalated so quickly? Atlanta seems to want to get out ahead of that option decision and move him now for a cleaner cap sheet this offseason.
So, what destinations make the most sense for him? Well, frankly, anyone who will take him.
Thus far, the Washington Wizards have shown the most interest based on reports from Jake L. Fischer and Marc Stein from the Stein Line substack blog. This from Monday:
The Washington Wizards have emerged as a legitimate trade destination for Atlanta’s Trae Young, The Stein Line has learned.
The teams, according to league sources, are actively discussing a trade construction centered around CJ McCollum’s expiring contract.
“There have definitely been conversations today,” said one source briefed on the talks.
More salary would have to be added by Washington to make the salary cap math work in a trade for Young — and it remains to be seen whether the Hawks would also have to send the Wizards draft capital to convince them absorb Young’s contract or if Washington would be making a direct play for Young — but the prospect of Atlanta trading its most popular player is only growing as the Feb. 5 trade deadline nears.
Sources tell The Stein Line that Young has been in communication in recent days with Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh and is aware of Atlanta’s ongoing efforts to establish a viable trade market for their four-time NBA All-Star.
The limited market Atlanta has found to this point has only increased the prospect of Young landing in the nation’s capital, with the Hawks apparently eager to move into a new phase for the franchise in the wake of an offseason during which it became apparent that a contract extension for their star guard wasn’t in the team’s plans.
In short, if a deal includes draft compensation (even a draft asset neutral deal) and doesn’t saddle the Hawks with onerous long-term money, it’s an immediate win. So now, let’s go through some of these mock trades that have been floating around the internet — at least the ones worth discussing.
Kevin Pelton in a piece for ESPN suggested this one:
This is a yes for me. McCollum’s deal ends this year AND the Hawks pick up another first this year. Sign me up.
The next one is a bit more mixed:
This one hinges on your opinion of Malik Monk. I don’t see him as a starting caliber point guard, but he’s settled in as a premier sixth man/combo guard type despite playing for the KANGZ. Too me, it’s too much of a longshot upside bet at roughly $20 million per year over the next three seasons — so according to my above rubric, I’ll pass.
I’ll cut to the chase — the final two suggested in the ESPN piece by Zach Kram are automatic NOs due to the bad future salary it adds to the books:
All of Kuzma, Portis, and Harris have 2026-27 salary in guarantees or player options, and all three are declining impact veterans with a chance to saddle the Hawks for next season and beyond — nowhere near the value of the future first. And Jerami Grant’s contract runs for another three years (with the option), creates a lot of on-court redundancy with Jalen Johnson, and therefore will be hard to move on.
Ricky O’Donnell for the mothership SBNation site tosses out some more interesting ideas minus the requisite draft compensation in either direction. Most are reset types of deals with mostly expiring money coming back to Atlanta, something that has my blessing, and as such it’s worth checking out here.
And finally, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic puts forth similarly framed deals. First up:
Yes for this deal to the Wizards (same logic as before).
Yes for this next deal to the Clippers with Collins and Bogdanovic’s deals expiring (also for the sentimental value of reacquiring two fan favorites).
And at this point, I’m holding off on an Anthony Davis trade, so no. For the reasons I outlined here, Davis is seeking a big extension off his current contract — which is already sizeable. But he has struggled with injuries ever since landing in Dallas, and I’m not sure the Hawks can afford to go all in on him.
General manager Onsi Saleh has preached the importance of “optionality” since arriving at his new position this past summer. The Hawks were able to bring in Kristaps Porzingis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in trades with exceptions and other mechanism in that time.
Remaining flexible is a must for a team that is still stuck in neutral. When they press on the gas pedal too quickly, things go awry.
So, while it’s tough to once again preach patience, even as the franchise cornerstone clearly wants a change in scenario, this is a must in the business of building a contending NBA team.
Get what you can for Trae Young, don’t chase shortcuts, and move forward. I promise that there will be an opportunity to reflect on a bygone era in due time.
What do you think? Which deals would you do? Please discuss below.
