Trae Young Trade: NBA Team Emerges As ‘Legitimate’ Partner for Hawks in Potential Move

Atlanta appears ready to move on from Young.

The Atlanta Hawks may have found an ideal trade partner for Trae Young. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Trae Young may soon be wearing another uniform.

Trade speculation involving the Hawks guard has increased over the past few days, and a new destination has emerged that would make a lot of sense.

NBA insider Marc Stein is reporting the Wizards are a “legitimate” destination for Young, and that the teams have been discussing a package built around CJ McCollum’s expiring contract.

From Stein’s report:

Sources tell The Stein Line that the Wizards have been actively exploring their trade options with McCollum, who is playing out the final year of his current contract at $30.7 million after Washington acquired the veteran guard in the offseason in a deal that sent Jordan Poole to the Pelicans.

More salary would have to be added by Washington to make the salary cap math work in a trade for Young—and it's believed that the Hawks would also have to send the Wizards draft capital to convince them to absorb Young's contract—but the prospect of Atlanta trading its most popular player is only growing as the Feb. 5 trade deadline nears.

According to Jake Fischer, Atlanta has been discussing a Young deal with several teams in the last week.

Young is in his eighth NBA season, and his numbers have fallen off during this campaign, largely due to an MCL sprain he suffered on October 29. He has only played in 10 games and is averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists in 28.0 minutes per game. That’s following a 2024-25 season in which he posted averages of 24.2 points and 11.6 assists in 36.0 minutes per game. His three-point percentage has also dropped to 30.5% from 34.0% last season, and is well below his career average of 35.1%.

The 27-year-old is a four-time All-Star and has played his entire career in Atlanta since the Hawks acquired him in a draft-day trade in 2018. The Mavericks selected Young with the fifth pick, then sent him to Atlanta along with a protected first-rounder in exchange for Luka Dončić, whom the Hawks had selected at No. 3.

Young agreed to a five-year, $215 million extension with the Hawks in August of 2021. He is making $46 million this season and has a player option for $49 million for the 2026-27 season.

The Hawks are currently in 10th place in the Eastern Conference and aren’t improving. Moving Young now could help them jumpstart a rebuild.

The deal would make sense for the Wizards, who are currently 9-25 and have the fourth-worst record in the NBA. Washington needs a star to build around. They have several intriguing young players led by Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, and Bub Carrington.

Atlanta appears ready to move on from Young, and the Wizards are a logical fit.

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