NBA Mock Trade: Atlanta Hawks Deal Trae Young to Brooklyn Nets

Point guard Trae Young arrived in Atlanta through an eventful trade involving Luka Dončić on draft night in 2018. Young led the Atlanta Hawks to an Eastern Conference Finals appearance during his first playoff appearance.

That gave the team a lot of hope for the future. But it's been a lot of Play-In Tournaments and trade rumors for Young and the Hawks lately.

Those rumors are likely to ramp up between now and the NBA midseason trade deadline. On August 17, Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes included Young on his list of five NBA stars who will get all the attention at the trade deadline this season.

"The Hawks have yet to offer him a contract extension worth up to $229 million over four years. The San Antonio Spurs just gave that exact deal to De'Aaron Fox, and the Los Angeles Lakers inked Young's draft classmate, Luka Dončić, to a three-year, $165 million agreement," wrote Hughes.

"Frustrated as Young may be, there's really not much urgency on Atlanta's side. It can offer him an extension at any point between now and June 30, 2026. But with his peers signing deals, Young is feeling left out.

"Will he be annoyed enough to ask for a trade? Is Atlanta's hesitancy evidence that its future plans don't actually center around the three-time All-Star? We'll get more clarity on the dynamics in Atlanta as time goes by, but it's fair to say that not everyone's on the same page at the moment."

Not being "on the same page" doesn't typically lead to an immediate trade. Not one this close to the season. So, the likelihood of the Hawks moving on from Young this summer appears awfully slim.

But let's propose the fun hypothetical. Where could Young land? There isn't a shortage of possibilities, but the Brooklyn Nets might be the most realistic current destination.

Atlanta Hawks-Brooklyn Nets Mock Trade And Fantasy Basketball Implications

Atlanta Hawks receive point guard Egor Demin, shooting guard Tyrese Martin and three future first-round picks (top-three protected).

Brooklyn Nets receive point guard Trae Young.

In April, Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey named the Nets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, and San Antonio Spurs the most likely landing spots for Young. But the Magic acquired Desmond Bane and the Suns executed the crazy Kevin Durant deal this offseason.

The Spurs haven't been involved in a blockbuster this summer, but they landed De'Aaron Fox. That might rule them out of the Young sweepstakes.

Meanwhile, Brooklyn has the draft capital to send to Atlanta and the cap space to acquire Young.

With the Nets, Young might not lead the league in assists as he did last season with a career-best 11.6 dimes per game. But he might have the opportunity for more scoring as the centerpiece of the Brooklyn offense. Young could be due for a bounce back season in scoring anyway because of the likeliy improvement he will see from his career-worst 41.1% shooting percentage last season.

Young would join Michael Porter Jr. as the most fantasy relevant assets from the Nets.

In Atlanta, Demin, who Brooklyn drafted at No. 8 overall in the 2025 draft, would slide into the Atlanta starting lineup. At BYU last season, Demin posted 10.6 points, 5.5 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game.

Martin could provide the Hawks depth but the main attraction with the rest of the trade for Atlanta would be the draft capital.

Why This Trade Makes Sense for Hawks

Moving on from stars such as Young is risky business, especially in the NBA. The likely best option for the franchise and their fan base is to work out a long-term deal with Young and continue surrounding him with fresh talent.

But if that becomes no longer possible, then moving Young for a boatload of draft picks makes the most sense. Brooklyn could put together the most appealing package of picks and include a top 10 selection from this year's class.

Why This Trade Makes Sense for Nets

With the arrival of Young, the Nets would expedite their rebuild. That might not be exactly what the franchise wants to do. The Nets seem to value their accumulation of draft capital and salary cap space.

But if they are ready to acquire a superstar, Young is a great option potentially available.

The point guard has posted at least 24 points per game in six consecutive seasons. He's also had at least 10 assists in three straight campaigns.