Trae Young’s Injury Could Mean We’ve Seen The Last Of Him As An Atlanta Hawk

Getty Image / Kevin C. Cox

Trae Young looked like the player that was going to bring the Atlanta Hawks a championship. He led them to the Eastern Conference Finals in just his third season in the league, surrounded by a young core.

Instead, the team has stalled out, and the 2021 Eastern Conference Finalists look further from a championship than ever before. Now, with Trae Young picking up an injury that could keep him out for the rest of the season, we may have seen the last of the Hawks star in Atlanta.

Young is under contract through 2026-2027, so it’s not like he’s a free agent any time soon. But, things have definitely gotten stale in Atlanta.

Plus, there are a lot of loaded teams in the Eastern Conference right now. The Celtics, Knicks, Sixers, Cavs and Bucks all look like they will be good for years to come.

So, it’s probably time for the Atlanta Hawks to pursue trading Trae Young for a whole host of picks and assets. He would get a ton back in a trade.

Young is just 25-years-old, and has already been to three All-Star games. He’s one of the most proficient offensive players in the league.

This year, he’s averaging 26.4 points and 10.8 assists per game. His efficiency could improve, but he’s still one of the most productive players in the league. And, he plays a style that can put butts in seats. Plus, given his passing ability, he’s the type of guy you can build around to win a title, possibly.

So, who could be interested? Ironically, I think the San Antonio Spurs would be interested. The Spurs actually own three Hawks first-round-picks in 2025-2027. Getting those picks back would be a huge start to a trade package. Plus, Young would pair well with rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama.

The Lakers would also be interested, though they’d like to have to include up to a half-dozen firsts and pick swaps.

But, I do think that this offseason is the time to trade Trae Young.