Within the last week, trade rumors surrounding superstar guard Trae Young have been swirling around the league and NBA media. The 25-year-old is having a terrific season, but his Atlanta Hawks have been miserable. They currently set 10th in the East at just a 24-31 record. Hawks’ top brass seemingly wants to reset and build around new players, which means moving off of their young superstar point guard. However, the man himself denies any interest in playing anywhere other than Atlanta.
Trae Young Denies Trade Rumors
Beginning of Trae Young Trade Rumors
On February 14th, Howard Beck from the Ringer published a report on potential off-season trade targets. The most surprising of those potential trades was one surrounding Young. Beck wrote “He’s available,” citing an Eastern Conference source. Furthermore, Beck reported that an unnamed Western Conference exec said “They would love to trade Trae.” The final and most interesting piece that Beck reported is that Young was nearly traded to the San Antonio Spurs before the deadline. Although the potential Spurs-Hawks trade did not come to pass, the trade rumors surrounding the Hawks point guard have gotten even louder since Beck first published his report.
Potential Causes of Trade Rumors
Young has been having a terrific season so far. At just 25 years old, he is averaging a whopping 26.7 PPG and 10.9 APG. His 4.3 win shares are top 5 for a point guard in the NBA and show his immense impact on winning. Though the fans, players, and writers unjustly snubbed him for the All-Star Game, the numbers show that he is one of the top point guards in the league. However, this amazing performance from Young has not translated to team success for the Hawks. They currently sit at just 24-31, only good for 10th in the East(and 13th in the West). While they are still theoretically in the play-ins and thus in playoff contention, the Hawks brass have accepted that their season is over. The Dejounte Murray trade was a franchise-crippling disaster for the Hawks, depleting almost all of their depth and future picks.
Due to the very bleak immediate future the Hawks are facing, it is understandable that Hawks execs would want to rebuild. Young is an extremely valuable asset. He is a superstar point guard, just entering his prime, and already one of the best guards in the league. If the Hawks want to completely rebuild and start over, the massive haul of assets gained by trading Young would be invaluable.
Young Denies Trade Rumors
While Hawks brass may be exploring a potential trade for Young, he denies any interest in playing anywhere but Atlanta. On February 18, Young commented in his media availability following the All-Star Game: “My mindset is staying in Atlanta right now”. Furthermore, he denied following the potential actions of his front office: “I don’t get caught up in the rumors.” While stars don’t usually say “Trade me”(unless they’re James Harden), they usually are more explicit in their desire to move on. Young’s words are not those of a disgruntled star looking to hop to another team. They’re the words of a man who wants to stay and build something where he is.
Last Word
Nobody really knows Young’s future, seemingly least of all him. However, if he does get traded, it will be a sad day for the Atlanta faithful. Young was and is one of the very few legitimate stars in Atlanta basketball history, joining the ranks of Joe Johnson and Dominique Wilkins. His 2021 run to the ECF was the pinnacle of the last decade of Atlanta basketball. Furthermore, his rivalry with the Knicks was a highlight of basketball as a whole following the pandemic. Whatever the future holds for the young superstar, I have no doubt he will continue putting his team on his back, whether that be the Hawks or someone else.
