The Atlanta Hawks are primed to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference next season. After an exciting offseason marked by activity, the Hawks have put together a terrific lineup of talented players to surround their All-Star guard, Trae Young.
Young is one of the best point guards in the league. Last season, he recorded an average of 24.2 points and a league-high 11.6 assists per game. In many ways, he is the beating heart of the Hawks.
While things should be going smoothly, recent reports have suggested some unexpected obstacles for Atlanta in the future regarding their relationship with Young.
This offseason has seen many stars earn sizable contract extensions, with players such as Luka Doncic and De’Aaron Fox being the most recent additions to the list. Unfortunately, Young, who became eligible for a veteran extension, hasn’t received an offer yet.
This has created some tension between the franchise and the player, as Young is reportedly frustrated with the current situation. With claims suggesting that he will be monitoring the situation, there’s a growing possibility of a fallout.
The four-time All-Star has a $48,967,380 player option for the 2026-27 season, which he could opt out of to enter free agency. Given his talent, several teams would be lining up to sign him. With this in mind, we explore four landing spots for the four-time All-Star.
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat could prove to be an interesting landing spot for Trae Young in the summer of 2026. When considering the kind of talent the Heat have amassed over the offseason, Young’s addition would effectively transform them into a title contender.
Acquiring Young as a free agent could prove to be a challenge for most teams, but the Heat find themselves in a rather flexible situation. Miami has two players who are on expiring contracts at the moment, Terry Rozier and Norman Powell.
With the combined cap hit of $46 million this season, the Heat would be clearing a significant amount of money for next season. This gives them the necessary freedom to sign Young without going deep into luxury tax territory or parting ways with a key rotation piece in trades.
Along with this, the Heat will still have Andrew Wiggins‘ player option. Should the forward opt out and enter free agency, Miami will have more cap flexibility, allowing them to bring in reinforcements while also offering the four-time All-Star a hefty extension to secure his place with the team.
A trio of Trae Young, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro boasts a lot of potential. With the development of Kel’el Ware as well, the Heat would effectively be pairing one of the best pick-and-roll point guards in the league with an incredibly athletic big man. The possibilities for success are limitless.
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets would be an interesting landing spot for Trae Young next summer. When considering the kind of roster they have, the Nets aren’t primed to be a successful regular-season team, but with a playmaker like Young on the side, the Nets’ offense could be exciting.
Michael Porter Jr. has been Brooklyn’s most noteworthy addition this offseason. The former Nuggets forward has shown a knack for scoring, although his role in Denver has limited him to some extent.Â
In a new system, many internal sources expect the forward to contend for the scoring title. With a playmaker like Young running the offense, this task would become a lot easier.
Along with Porter Jr., the Nets also have an athletic big man in Nic Claxton, who will remain with the team for the foreseeable future. Claxton could see a significant uptick in performance when paired with Young in the pick-and-roll.
Acquiring the four-time All-Star should not be a challenge for Brooklyn, especially considering the amount of cap space they have available to them at the moment. However, this could be subject to change depending on how they approach their negotiations with Cam Thomas.
The Nets may not be the best team for Young from the perspective of winning titles. But as a big market franchise, Brooklyn could become an attractive destination for other stars in due time, should the guard join next summer.
Washington Wizards
Another team that may simply have the cap space available to sign Trae Young in the summer of 2026 could be the Washington Wizards.Â
With both Khris Middleton and CJ McCollum entering the final year of their contracts, the Wizards are expected to see $63.8 million coming off the books just between those two players. This presents an ample opportunity for Washington to pursue a star point guard, their first since Russell Westbrook.
The Wizards, much like the Nets, aren’t primed to be a playoff team any time soon. As the worst team in the league last season, it is abundantly clear that there is a lot of work that needs to be done.
Acquiring Young could be the start of something special. By pairing him up with their rookie big man, Alex Sarr, the Wizards could be creating an interesting pair for the future.
Sarr has showcased a lot of potential as a floor-spacing big man and rim protector. With an average of 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, he finished fourth in the ROTY race, showcasing his growth potential.
Aside from Sarr, the Wizards have some talented developmental pieces such as Cam Whitmore and Bub Carrington. But this suggests that the Wizards are in a rebuild stage, something Young may not align with.
Regardless, the four-time All-Star could become an agent of change. By attracting and recruiting more stars to join, the Wizards could end up becoming a contender with the right roster moves.
Los Angeles Lakers
In many ways, this could be the ideal move from a title-contending perspective. The Los Angeles Lakers may not be a team capable of acquiring Trae Young yet, but next summer could present different opportunities.
When considering the Lakers’ wealth of expiring contracts, the franchise will have upwards of $111.5 million at its disposal to make key signings. Acquiring Young would not be a challenge in such a scenario.
Signing the 26-year-old also presents an interesting outlook for the Lakers. Considering that both Doncic and Ayton are from the same draft class as him, a reunion between the three would make for an interesting storyline.
Regardless of Doncic’s ball-dominant style of play, a backcourt pairing featuring the two stars could work.Â
With immense flexibility from a playmaking point of view, the Lakers would have one of the most productive offensive systems in the league. This would also bring the best out of Ayton, who would be a beneficiary of passes from both Doncic and Young.
The four-time All-Star could help the Lakers become a legitimate title contender, especially considering what he brings to the table.
The situation primarily depends on LeBron James, who is in the final year of his contract. Should James choose to leave the team in free agency, the Purple and Gold will face no challenges in forming a new star core.
The Hawks Are Likely To Make An Offer To Young
Amidst the chaos of the offseason, the fact that the Hawks haven’t made an offer yet isn’t surprising. Although it hasn’t happened yet, there is a greater likelihood of Atlanta presenting an extension to their star.
The decision not to would be rather counterproductive. When considering the kind of roster they have constructed, it is evident that it caters to Young and his style of play, which gives Atlanta a better chance at winning.
To pivot at this stage would simply not make sense. With some time left in the offseason, the Hawks may simply be biding their time. It would be advisable for them to handle this situation carefully, nonetheless.
