The Trae Young dilemma is nothing new for the Atlanta Hawks. As one of the more polarizing players in the league, Young has been a trade machine linchpin for the past three years. His unusual, yet electrifying offensive prowess coupled with his dreadful defensive skillset creates a pretty complicated player.
While the Trae Young era in Atlanta got off to a relatively hot start after a surprise Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2020-21, things have soured since.
The Hawks have gone just 127-134 since the start of the 2021-22 season, and have only been able to muster up three playoff wins. The rapid development of young players like Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels has brought some optimism to the organization, giving them a look into what a Trae Young-less team could look like.
It’s clear that Atlanta has gotten itself stuck in neutral with Trae Young at the helm. Now, figuring out how to shift forward might be a harder task than it seems.
Is a Trade Even Possible?
The keyboard warriors on social media will tell you it’s simple. “Trade Young, get some draft capital back, and start the rebuild.” But, it’s not that elementary. Finding a team that’s willing to take on Trae and his massive contract (5YR/$215M) is no small feat, for a couple of reasons. With the new CBA rules in place, teams are getting punished more harshly than ever for overspending on players.
Taking on three years of $43 million plus in salary is not something that front offices are eager to do, especially for an unproven star like Young. You could argue that non-contending teams with cap space could take a flyer on Young without the financial risks that bigger spenders might face, but why would they?
There’s no reason for a team like the Jazz or Hornets to expend extensive draft capital to bring in a player that will essentially stop your rebuild in its tracks. If you trade for Trae Young, you aren’t just trading for the player, you’re trading for the dollar sign he brings with him.
Worth Trading For?
The massive salary isn’t the only reason teams are hesitant to chase after the three-time All-Star. Young brings with him a type of heliocentric offense that isn’t exactly the easiest to play with. You can’t simply add Trae Young to a team, you have to build a team around Trae Young. His offensive approach requires him to have the ball in his hands and essentially turns his teammates into one of two things: spot-up shooters or lob finishers.
While he’s yet to play with another ball-dominant star, it’s hard to imagine that being an effective relationship. Young’s portability might be the hardest thing to overcome should the Hawks look to move him. A quick look around the league will make it clear that Young really isn’t a good “fit” anywhere. He lacks the playstyle, versatility, and defensive competence that teams are looking for, whether they are contending or rebuilding.
Trade Market..
The last big thing standing in the way of a Trae Young blockbuster trade is the overall depth of the point guard position in today’s NBA. The list of teams that lack a quality lead guard is extremely short.
Even if Young might be considered a better player than a good majority of these guys, not many teams are willing to sacrifice cohesion and financial flexibility for a small uptick in talent. The number of teams that want Trae Young is not big, but the number of teams that need him might be even smaller.
So, what might the Hawks do? The two likely outcomes for Atlanta are pretty clear. They can either trade Young for a diminished return, or wait until his contract expires in 2026-27 and let him walk. The Hawks can hope that win-now teams like the Lakers, Heat, or Clippers get desperate for an influx of superstar talent and swing for the fences, but if not, I would be shocked if someone pays the going rate for Trae.
The most obvious solution to this issue involves Atlanta swallowing their pride, realizing their sunk cost, and getting what they can out of Young before he enters free agency. Neither are very attractive options, but one is better than the other.
