Brooklyn Nets
With an abundance of young players and draft capital, the Brooklyn Nets are a natural trade suitor for Young. The number of backcourt players that they added in the 2025 NBA Draft only serves to make a deal between them and the Hawks more possible, as players like Egor Demin and Nolan Traore could eventually be seen as the Hawks’ future starting point guards. Bearing that in mind, a trade with the Nets will likely be headlined by forward Michael Porter Jr., who’s in the midst of a career year.
Indeed, the Nets are already listening to offers for the 27-year-old, per The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer.
Nets receive: Trae Young
Hawks receive: Michael Porter Jr., Nolan Traore
For Atlanta to be willing to trade Young for Porter, the focus will be on fit rather than a direct comparison of their talents. Compared to Porter, Young is a far better ball-mover even with his ball-dominance. Though Porter is a more capable defender than Young due to his length, he’s not trustworthy at that end. Yet, Porter has one of the purest shooting strokes in the NBA and a knack for scoring off of cuts. Thus, he’s a terrific complement to point-forward Jalen Johnson and jumbo guard Dyson Daniels.
For the Nets to make this move, they simply have to believe Young is a franchise point guard. Of course, up to this point of his career, that’s all he’s been. Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez will certainly implore him to refine his shot-selection and make a consistent effort on defense. However, he’s undoubtedly a more capable scorer than any of their backcourt players.
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