Trae Young’s tenure with the Atlanta Hawks officially came to an end on Friday as he was traded to the Washington Wizards. The news had initially broken during Wednesday’s home game against the New Orleans Pelicans, which Young attended, and he revealed during an interview with Andscape that he was crying in his car on his way to State Farm Arena.
“It hit me driving to the arena in Atlanta,” Young said. “I figured it was going to happen that night or at some point that day just from talking to my agent. I literally started crying on my way to the arena, just knowing it’s my last drive probably, because they’re [Hawks] going on the West Coast anyway.
“So, whether it happened that day or whatever, that was the only time I even cried throughout the whole thing was on my drive to the arena,” Young added. “That was the only time it was really emotional. Just knowing that it was my last time driving to the arena, that’s why I went out and shot. Nobody probably expected me to go out there. I didn’t go to shootaround. So, I went out there, and that was my way of being able to say it’s over and I’m good with it.”
Young had spent the first seven and a half years of his NBA career with the Hawks. It’s understandable that the 27-year-old got emotional when it dawned on him that this was indeed the end.
If it were left to Young, he’d still be a Hawk today.
“It was sad because, obviously, when I got drafted, I didn’t plan on ever having to leave,” Young stated. “Growing up in Oklahoma where I’m from, you got to be loyal. And so, I wanted to always be there [in Atlanta].”
The Hawks, though, felt a parting of ways was in their best interests. They traded him to the Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
The first clear sign that a breakup could be on the cards was the Hawks’ not offering Young a contract extension in the summer of 2025. The four-time All-Star was asked here if he was upset or disappointed over that.
“It was more disappointing, but that’s part of it,” Young said. “It didn’t make me mad. It did make me sad. It was more disappointing. You wish it could have worked out and stuff, but that’s life. Maybe that not working out could be the blessing in disguise.”
You wouldn’t have thought this day would come when Young had led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. They were two wins away from the NBA Finals, but ended up losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games.
The Hawks haven’t won a playoff series since, though, and the organization has hit the reset button. They’re now building around Jalen Johnson and didn’t want Young, who is making $46 million this season and has a $49 million player option for the next one, on their books anymore.
Young is excited for his fresh start with the Wizards, and it’ll be fascinating to see how this chapter goes. He has departed the Hawks with career averages of 25.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game.
