Trae Young appears to be one of the many players who could find themselves on a new team before the trade deadline this season. While several teams have already been linked with the four-time All-Star, NBA insider Marc Stein recently revealed that the Washington Wizards could be viewed as a likely trade destination.
Stein mentioned that the Wizards could be interested in acquiring Young in a package built around CJ McCollum. Although this could be promising, the additional aspects of the deal may not be of much benefit to the Hawks.
“Sources tell The Stein Line that the Wizards have been actively exploring their trade options with McCollum, who is playing out the final year of his current contract at $30.7 million after Washington acquired the veteran guard in the offseason in a deal that sent Jordan Poole to the Pelicans,” Stein wrote.
“More salary would have to be added by Washington to make the salary cap math work in a trade for Young,” he added. “And it’s believed that the Hawks would also have to send the Wizards draft capital to convince them to absorb Young’s contract, but the prospect of Atlanta trading its most popular player is only growing as the Feb. 5 trade deadline nears.”
Although Washington’s interest in Young may be worth noting, given the Hawks‘ current roster and position in the East, acquiring a player like CJ McCollum may not be in their best interests.
Additionally, if any trade involving Trae Young requires Atlanta to part with draft capital to sweeten the deal, the Hawks may see more disadvantages to making that move.
Trae Young Remains Open To A Trade
While the majority of the trade chatter involving Trae Young hints at a one-sided interest from the Hawks to offload their superstar, a recent update by ESPN’s Marc J. Spears could suggest that this could be a two-way street.
“I hear he’s trying to be really careful about this,” Spears shared. “This is a guy who saw Kevin Durant leave Oklahoma City as a kid and saw how that was. He wants to continue, whether he’s there or gone, to have a connection with Atlanta. So I don’t think he’s asking for a trade, but I don’t think he’s telling them [the Hawks] not to trade him.”
“I’m hearing he’s open-minded to being moved,” he continued. “He and Porzingis still haven’t really played much together. We don’t really know what that looks like. But without an extension and Trae seeming to be blamed for a lot of things, fair or unfair, I certainly do think he would be open-minded to a new uniform.”
Spears’ statement provides a fresh outlook on the matter. Although the Hawks seem prepared to move on from Trae Young, having shown an inclination to build around Jalen Johnson instead, Young’s interest in being moved may help streamline the process.
For the 2025-26 season, Young is averaging 19.3 points and 8.5 assists per game while shooting 41.5% from the field and 30.5% from three-point range. Given that the team has notched a 0-5 record with him in the rotation since he returned to the floor on Dec. 18 against the Charlotte Hornets, the Hawks have a legitimate reason to consider trading him.
Unfortunately, the notion of trading Trae Young presents its own challenges. With a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season, acquiring the four-time All-Star appears to be a daunting task for any team. Given that the trade market for him is also dwindling, the future remains uncertain for the Hawks guard.
