%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20width%3D%2239px%22%20height%3D%2240px%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%2039%2040%22%20enable-background%3D%22new%200%200%2039%2040%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M38.5%2C7H28.2v26h10.3V7z%22%2F%3E%0A%3Cpath%20fill-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20clip-rule%3D%22evenodd%22%20fill%3D%22%23FFFFFF%22%20d%3D%22M26.1%2C25.5c0%2C5.8-4.1%2C7.5-12.9%2C7.5C3.9%2C33%2C0%2C31.2%2C0%2C25.2v-1.1h11.6%0A%09v2.4c0%2C0.7%2C0.1%2C1.4%2C1.2%2C1.4c1%2C0%2C1.2-0.4%2C1.2-1.3v-0.9c0-1.6-0.9-1.6-3.5-2.2C2.2%2C21.7%2C0%2C19.7%2C0%2C15.3v-0.9C0%2C9.3%2C5.5%2C7%2C12.9%2C7%0A%09c10.2%2C0%2C12.8%2C2.6%2C12.8%2C7.4v1.8h-11v-2.9c0-0.6-0.4-1.1-1.2-1.1c-0.6%2C0-1.2%2C0.4-1.2%2C1.1v0.9c0%2C1.5%2C0.9%2C2%2C3.3%2C2.5%0A%09c8%2C1.6%2C10.5%2C3.3%2C10.5%2C7.5V25.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Shams Charania Makes Declarative Statement on Trae Young’s Future With Hawks
It seems that Trae Young’s days with the Hawks are numbered.
During an appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today, Shams Charania addressed the future of Young in Atlanta, and he made abundantly clear that the two sides were destined to split.
“Trae Young’s Hawks tenure is coming to an end. He appears to be in his final days, and weeks, in Atlanta after seven seasons together as the face of that franchise,” Charania said Tuesday.
“I’m told both Trae Young and the Hawks know he just doesn’t fit with the current team anymore. We’ve seen the Hawks turn the page towards this young core of Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu. Both sides now are collaborating on trade talks out of Atlanta, turning the page and seeing where else Young can land to be the lead guard of a franchise elsewhere.”
More: Four Trae Young Destinations and Potential Trade Packages Amid Hawks Rumors
The latest on four-time All-Star Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks for NBA Today: pic.twitter.com/UInXebbsI6
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 6, 2026
The 2025–26 season is Young’s last year under contract in Atlanta. He has a player option for the 2026–27 campaign at a price of $48.9 million, though at this stage, it’s wholly unlikely he’d pick that up.
The Hawks will look to find a trade partner, likely a team in need of a ball-dominant guard, who is willing to take on his salary and work on a long-term extension with Young. Given his inefficient play style and woes on the defensive end, that may be a difficult move to pull off.
As recently as Monday, the Wizards were reported as a potential Young destination by NBA insider Marc Stein.
This season, Young has played in just 10 games and has posted season averages of 19.3 points, 8.9 assists and 1.8 made threes per game.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
dark. SIGN UP NOW. SI NBA Newsletter. Get SI's FREE NBA Newsletter
feed
Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for the Breaking and Trending News team for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.