The Atlanta Hawks are reportedly listening to offers on star guard Trae Young, with the expectation that the franchise will move on from him ahead of the February 5th trade deadline.
NBA insider Tim MacMahon spoke on the issue Monday, stating “The Hawks certainly are indicating that they’re looking for the exit ramp with Trae Young. They did not make any attempt to get him signed to an extension. When that’s the case with your face of the franchise, that’s a pretty clear message that the end could be near.”
Young is set to enter a contract year in 2026-27, and according to reports, there’s been little effort from either side to even come to the negotiating table to date. After starting the year 9-5, Atlanta has dropped 6 in a row and suddenly find themselves in 10th place in the Eastern Conference at 15-18 overall.
Currently averaging 19.3pts/1.5reb/8.9ast per game across 10 appearances this year, Young’s defensive limitations have become a focal point for local media throughout the 2025-26 NBA campaign. In the 6 games since Young returned from injury, the team is winless and has allowed at least 125 points to opponents in each contest.
The 27 year old is one of the most gifted playmakers in the game, leading the league in assists last season. However, with teams hunting him on the defensive end of the court, the Trae Young era in Atlanta may be coming to an end.
Complicating matters is the fact that it’s difficult to gauge what Young’s worth on the open market would even be. With a player option next year, and a $215M deal set to expire at the end of 2026-27, Young will certainly want to be paid like a franchise star. But whether or not other teams view him in the same light remains to be seen.
“It’s not going to be easy,” MacMahon said. “There’s not going to be some wide array of teams raising their hand and trying to get in on the bidding, and I’m not sure if you’re even gonna be able to make a trade that’s going to bring value in return.”
The former 1st round pick’s name has been linked with impact players who also have major red flags attached to them over the last week. Anthony Davis (durability issues), Ja Morant (maturity issues), and LaMelo Ball (is he a winning player?) are some of the other high profile players with similar salaries who may be in need of a change of scenery to reboot their careers as well.
Whether or not any of the names above are actually included in any potential Young deal is anyone’s guess. However it’s become evident that the Atlanta front office has begun laying the groundwork for a post-Young era, and could be willing to take cents on the dollar to accomplish that vision.
For now the Hawks will look to right the ship with a Monday night showdown against the league leading Oklahoma City Thunder. From there however, the Hawks could be one of the busiest organizations in terms of fielding trade calls across the association.
Photo: Erik Drost. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.