Hawks, Trae Young Begin Exploring Trade Options Ahead of Deadline

Trae Young’s future in Atlanta appears increasingly uncertain as the calendar flips toward the heart of the NBA trade season. After months of distance in extension negotiations, the four-time All-Star and the Hawks have opened lines of communication around potential trades, according to league sources.

The shift reflects a relationship that has slowly drifted off course. Once the face of the franchise, Young now finds himself at a crossroads as the Hawks move forward under first-year general manager Onsi Saleh and begin to redefine their roster priorities.

Part of that recalibration centers on Jalen Johnson, whose emergence has prompted Atlanta to commit fully to him as its long-term cornerstone. The change in focus has naturally complicated Young’s standing within the organization.

With roughly four weeks remaining before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, the Hawks are now working with Young’s representatives to identify destinations where he could secure a new contract extension immediately, even though meaningful negotiations with other teams remain limited.

1. Stalled Talks and a Shifting Vision

Young’s contract status looms over every discussion. He is earning about $46 million this season and holds a player option near $49 million for 2026–27, a figure most around the league expect him to exercise. That structure complicates any trade, as acquiring teams must not only match salary but also decide whether they are comfortable inheriting a short-term deal with an extension expectation attached. Atlanta, meanwhile, is attempting to balance its own goals with those of its star guard. The Hawks have signaled a willingness to explore all possible avenues, but their leverage is limited by the realities of Young’s contract and recent on-court results. Despite leading the NBA in assists last season, Young’s reputation as a defensive liability has dulled his market, leaving Atlanta in a position where it may need to compromise if it truly intends to move him before the deadline.

2. Wizards Emerge as Early Suitor

Washington surfaced this week as a potential landing spot, with early conversations centered on a framework involving CJ McCollum, who is in the final year of a $30.6 million deal. For such a move to work financially, the Wizards would need to include roughly $6.8 million more in outgoing salary to absorb Young’s contract, a hurdle that has slowed progress. Complicating matters further, Washington has made it clear it is unwilling to part with young assets in exchange for Young, while also seeking draft compensation from Atlanta to facilitate a deal. The Hawks, in turn, have pushed back, signaling they would need one of the Wizards’ recent draftees in any meaningful swap. Names believed to have surfaced in internal discussions include Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George and Tre Johnson, though no package has been finalized.

3. On-Court Results Add to the Pressure

Atlanta’s performance without Young this season has only fueled speculation. In games he has missed, the Hawks are 15–13, compared to a 2–8 record when he plays, while also surrendering roughly nine more points per game with him on the floor. Those numbers are not lost on the front office, particularly as the Hawks sit at 17–21 overall and search for stability amid an injury-plagued campaign. Young has missed five straight games with a right quad contusion after previously being sidelined for nearly seven weeks due to a right MCL sprain. There remains a possibility he returns before the deadline, but his availability has done little to quiet trade chatter. In 10 starts this season, Young has averaged 19.3 points and 8.9 assists while shooting 41.5 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from three-point range — solid production, yet not enough to erase questions about fit, defense and long-term direction.