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Trae Young Trade News Broke While He Was Sitting on the Bench During Hawks Game

Young walked towards the tunnel shortly after news of the trade broke.

Tim Capurso

Trae Young is being dealt from the Hawks to the Wizards weeks ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
Trae Young is being dealt from the Hawks to the Wizards weeks ahead of the NBA trade deadline. / Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
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NBA trades happen behind the scenes, but sometimes, the wheeling-and-dealing occurs in the midst of actual games. That's what occurred on Wednesday night, when Hawks four-time All-Star Trae Young was traded to the Wizards ... while he was sitting on the bench in street clothes.

As the Hawks’ game against the Pelicans headed into the fourth quarter, the news that Young was dealt to the Wizards in exchange for sharpshooter CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert surfaced, prompting several Atlanta players to say their goodbyes to Young on the bench, according to Atlanta sports anchor Miles Garrett.

Mannix: What the Trae Young Trade Says About the Hawks’ Future

Young then headed off the floor and towards the tunnel at State Farm Arena.

After returning briefly to the bench, Young headed to the tunnel for good as Hawks fans cheered him.

Young’s trade to Washington materialized quickly, as it was reported Monday that Young's agents and the Hawks were working together to find a trade for the sharpshooter. It was then reported later that day that the Wizards had emerged as legitimate suitors for Young.

And so here we are, two days later, with Young’s tenure ending as he sat on the bench alongside soon-to-be-ex-teammates in the waning minutes of an Atlanta victory.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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