NBA Mock Blockbuster Trade: Atlanta Hawks Deal Trae Young To Rising Orlando Magic

It’s officially mock trade season, and the NBA rumor mill is spinning faster than ever. Blockbuster deals are reshaping the league’s landscape, including a headline-grabber that sent Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic—a move that pairs him with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to form a dynamic, versatile trio on the wing. Orlando's stock is rising, but their hunt for a long-term answer at point guard isn't over.

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks made a splash by landing Kristaps Porzingis from Boston, hoping to finally contend in the East. But let’s be honest—the Trae Young era hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations. If Atlanta could flip Young for a steady playmaker, a reliable big to back up the oft-injured Porzingis, and a haul of draft picks to replenish depth, wouldn’t they at least consider it? With a strong starting five but a shaky bench, the time may be right for the Hawks to send Trae Young to the surging Magic in a deal that could change the trajectory of both franchises.

Let’s take a look at this blockbuster mock trade.

Atlanta Hawks–Orlando Magic NBA Mock Trade

Hawks receive: Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black, Wendell Carter Jr., three first-round picks, one second-round pick

Magic receive: Trae Young

This trade proposal is as clean financially as it is compelling strategically—the salaries align, and the ripple effects for both franchises could be seismic. For the Hawks, Jalen Suggs steps in as a defensive-minded point guard alongside a promising core featuring Dyson Daniels, former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher, Jalen Johnson, and Kristaps Porzingis. Wendell Carter Jr. fills the soon-to-be-vacant bench big man role with Clint Capela and Larry Nance likely departing in free agency, while Anthony Black adds valuable backcourt depth and future upside.

For the Magic, this is the bold swing they've been waiting to take. Trae Young gives Orlando its long-awaited franchise floor general—an elite playmaker and shot creator to pair with Desmond Bane, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and whoever ends up anchoring the paint (Goga Bitadze or otherwise). With Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard all sidelined long-term, the Eastern Conference landscape is wide open—and the Magic, coming off back-to-back first-round exits, are ready to pounce.

Offensively, this is the upgrade Orlando desperately needs. Young led the league in assists (11.6) while posting 24.2 points per game on 34% shooting from deep. Yes, losing Suggs hurts on the defensive end—but the Magic finished last in both three-point percentage and assists, and this move vaults them into the East’s top tier with the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and potentially the Philadelphia 76ers (if they can stay healthy). In today’s NBA, offense reigns supreme—and Orlando just turned a major weakness into a superstar solution. Young would have the best supporting cast of his career, which would result in far better looks for Wagner and Banchero, two of the best forwards in the Eastern Conference. And we all know that when Young isn't dishing out dimes, he can drop a trey bomb from anywhere within the half court.

Trae Young had one of the greatest ecf performances if his career 4 years ago.

48 points
11 assists
7 rebounds

Wasn’t afraid of the moment. Need this energy back. pic.twitter.com/9uyp5VnKkh
— TraeMuse (@TraesMuse) June 18, 2025

As for Atlanta, they’ve missed the playoffs in two straight seasons and look more like a Play-In hopeful than a true contender—even with Porzingis in the fold. Trading Young allows them to reshape their identity with a balanced, defensive-minded roster, a potential stud in Black, and valuable draft capital to keep building. Carter Jr. provides injury insurance for KP, and Suggs brings tenacity and leadership at the point. This isn’t a rebuild—it’s a retool with long-term upside.

Trae Young is immensely talented, but should he really be the best player on your team? If the Hawks don’t believe he can carry them deep in the playoffs, now is the time to capitalize on his value while it’s sky-high. Orlando gets their star, Atlanta gets depth, flexibility, and a Suggs contract that declines each of the next five seasons, providing the Hawks with more financial options. Although the Magic already spent a ton of draft picks to acquire Bane, they go all in on Young and give up just about all of their capital for the foreseeable future. But that would be worth it if they ended up hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2026 or 2027.

You may be thinking, can the Magic truly win an NBA Championship with Gogo Bitadze as their starting center despite four potential All-Stars playing next to him. Well, Orlando could target a big man such as Clint Capella in free agency to slide into the starting five spot. They could also target veterans Al Horford and Brook Lopez. But even if they aren't able to sign one of those guys, Bitadze doesn’t need to do much on offense to run with this unit. So long as he continues to anchor the paint at a high level and swat shots (1.4 per game last season), he’s the perfect low-usage, high-impact defender to complement this strong core. He’s the type of defender who can minimize Young’s defensive inefficiencies on the perimeter. Although he’s not the caliber of your typical starting center on a championship roster, this may be the exception.

After all, it’s not like Isaiah Hartenstein is Anthony Davis and he just manned the center position for an Oklahoma City Thunder team that dominated all year long. In 70 games last season, Bitadze averaged 7.2 points and 6.6 rebounds in about 20 minutes per game. If the Magic can add another serviceable center or potentially upgrade with a Capella, they will get just enough production out of the position to make a run to the NBA Finals.

Fantasy Basketball Impact

Trae Young would take a significant hit in terms of his fantasy basketball value. He would still be a top-tier point guard and would be among the league leaders in assists, but he wouldn't be asked to shoulder such a heavy scoring burden which is why he would likely struggle to crack 20 points per game. That being said, with Banchero, Wagner, and Bane in the mix, Young would get more open looks and shoot more efficiently. But with so few primary ball handlers in the mix, turnovers would remain an issue. Ultimately, his value would be similar to what it was last season, with perhaps a slight downtick in scoring.

Bitadze would be the biggest fantasy basketball winner of this deal as he would enter the starting lineup and so long as he produces, he could crack 30 minutes per game. The big man entering his sixth season in the NBA could turn into a double-double machine while swatting two shots per game.

Jalen Suggs would be another winner. Right now, he's playing fourth fiddle in Orlando's top-heavy squad but a move to Atlanta would allow him more scoring opportunities. Yes, the Hawks have plenty of scorers on the roster but Orlando's players are far more ball dominant than Atlanta's so he could see a slight uptick in scoring, though his assist rate could plummet as Atlanta doesn't have the same level of knockdown shooters that Orlando posseses.

So… who says no? Do the Hawks finally hit the reset button—or give Trae one last shot with an improved supporting cast? One thing’s for sure: if Atlanta’s going to deal their franchise centerpiece, this is the kind of package that could make them pull the trigger.

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