NBA Trade Rumors: One Analyst Suggests the Hawks Should Trade Trae Young to the Spurs
The Atlanta Hawks have been at the center of NBA trade rumors for the better part of a month (maybe longer) and that has to do with them being perhaps the NBA's most disappointing team this season. Atlanta is currently 15-23 and has been blown out in three of the last four games, including a 28-point loss to the Washington Wizards this past Saturday.
Most of the trade rumors around the Hawks have been surrounding guard Dejounte Murray. In a recent report, Yahoo Sports Jake Fischer said that everyone except point guard Trae Young and forward Jalen Johnson was tradable in Atlanta:
"The Hawks are certainly open for business, with plenty of long-term deals to be moved. Of late, Atlanta has informed numerous teams the only untouchable players on the Hawks’ roster are Young and rising third-year forward Jalen Johnson, sources said. Just watch Johnson’s behind-the-back dribble and flush in transition against Oklahoma City on Wednesday, or his pacing, passing and shooting ability at his size, and you’ll understand why Hawks figures are so bullish on the 22-year-old’s upside at a broad and bouncy 6-9.
However, that won't stop some from speculating about Young and his future as a Hawk.
NBA analyst Kevin O'Connor at The Ringer suggested that instead of reuniting with their old point guard, the San Antonio Spurs should be targeting Young instead:
"But as good as Murray is, the Hawks point guard that the Spurs should be chasing is Trae Young. While Atlanta isn’t seeking out deals for Young as it is for Murray, we’re moving toward a point when those intentions could change. The Murray trade was a flop. Outside of Jalen Johnson, the draft picks on the wing haven’t panned out. The team is losing. Young wants nothing more than to win a title with Atlanta, but he’s posting big, empty numbers on a team that might not even make the play-in. Unless the Hawks become more than playoff fodder, it should surprise no one if Young, who is 25 and in the prime of his career, and the franchise mutually decide that a divorce is in everyone’s best interest.
San Antonio would be a dream fit for Young. Wembanyama and Young are both elite while being on opposite ends of the physical spectrum, making them a diverse duo that teams wouldn’t want to switch screens against. Trae is one of the league’s best at feeding easy shots to bigs, which would allow Wemby to score off of rolls and cuts on a regular basis. This season, Young has also embraced playing with more off-ball movement under Quin Snyder. If he was paired with a big with playmaking skills (like Wembanyama), then he could become even more potent in handoff and two-man actions. Together, they could be one of the league’s most powerful duos on offense. And on defense, Young is playing harder than ever; he’s small and will be targeted in the playoffs, but there’s no better antidote for a weaker defender than to have Wembanyama protecting the paint.
No team has a greater need for a point guard than the Spurs, making them an intriguing landing spot for Young. The biggest question, though, is whether Gregg Popovich would want Trae, an unproven system fit, over Murray, who made significant strides with the franchise—or the alternatives of building through the draft or targeting an entirely different player in a trade. Linking back up with Murray right now wouldn’t be the worst decision for the Spurs. But the chance to swipe right on Trae is worth the wait."
Trae Young vs the 76ers
I am of the opinion that the Hawks will not and should not trade Young. Is it more difficult to build around him than other star players? Sure. Young is far from a perfect player, but he is one of the best offensive players in the NBA and is only 25. I would rather gamble on building with him than giving up too early. Young will never be a good defender, but he has shown the ability to give more effort this year, evidenced by his ability to draw charges and get steals.
The Hawks need to hit the reset button, but unless they somehow got all of their picks back from the Spurs from the Dejounte Murray trade, it makes little sense to completely blow things up. It is going to take careful roster construction (something that has not been done up to this point), but I think it can be done.
Young and Johnson are two good building blocks for the Hawks. The challenge now is finding other pieces of the puzzle, but I don't think it should involve trading Young.
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