NBA Mock Trade: Toronto Raptors Strike Deal With Atlanta Hawks For Trae Young
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Trae Young’s future with the Atlanta Hawks can best be described as cloudy. Young is entering the fourth year of a five-year, $215 million deal, with a player option for the 2026-27 season.
Coming into what could be the final year of his deal, Young has been the subject of trade speculation throughout the offseason. The Hawks could look to move Young as opposed to letting the star point guard walk in free agency, should he decline his player option.
This summer, Young was linked to teams like the Brooklyn Nets and Utah Jazz. Another team in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors, should also consider making a move for the four-time All-Star. Here’s a mock trade to ship Young to Toronto.
Atlanta Hawks-Toronto Raptors Mock Trade & Fantasy Basketball Impact
Atlanta Hawks receive Immanuel Quickley, Ochai Agbaji, Collin Murray-Boyles, 2027 first-round pick, 2029 first-round pick
Toronto Raptors receive Trae Young
In this trade, the Raptors continue a trend of moves to build the team into a playoff contender. Last season, the Raptors pulled off a notable trade for All-Star Brandon Ingram, building around the team’s cornerstone piece, Scottie Barnes.
The big three of Young, Barnes and Ingram would likely catapult the Raptors into consistent playoff contention, with potential as title threats as the trio builds rapport on the court. Young could blend well with Barnes and Ingram, given his ability to create shots for his teammates.
Young’s fantasy stock could take a slight hit, as his scoring production likely dips alongside two prominent wing scorers in Ingram and Barnes, but his assist numbers should remain largely similar, if not better.
For Immanuel Quickley, his stock could take something of a jump as he takes over as the new starting point guard for the Hawks. Coming off his 2024 breakout campaign, averaging 18.6 points and 6.8 assists in 38 games for Toronto, Quickley could continue an upward trend in production with quality wing talent surrounding him in Atlanta.
Why The Hawks Make The Trade
Atlanta could find itself in a tough spot should Young decline his player option following this season. Moving the star point guard ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline presents an opportunity for the Hawks to get a return for their loss, as no reported progress has been made towards a new deal.
Atlanta has shown gradual regression since the team’s Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2020-21, missing the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Moving on from their superstar could allow the Hawks to stockpile draft capital to continue building for the future.
Why The Raptors Make The Trade
The Raptors pulled off a surprising deal last season to bring in Ingram from the New Orleans Pelicans. The move put the Raptors in a position to compete for a playoff spot right away. Adding Young furthers that notion. Bringing in a player of Young’s caliber gives Toronto a true distributor to create looks for the young wing trio of Ingram, Barnes and R.J. Barrett.
Expanding even further, Young could help the Raptors become a legitimate threat in the East, especially with the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics likely out of the race this season. If Toronto pulled the trigger, they could return to the NBA Finals for the first time since winning the championship in 2018-19.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.