Trae Young trade rumors: Why the Hawks need to cut their losses, hit reset with No. 1 draft pick in the bank

Trae Young was Atlanta’s greatest player just three years ago. In his third season, he led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals, and had he not suffered an untimely injury, he might have taken them to the top of the mountain. At the time, it seemed as if the Hawks had found a franchise player for the next decade. But Atlanta has not won a playoff series.

The 2021 team regressed the following season. The front office tried to shake things up with a mega trade for Dejounte Murray, but it didn’t help. Both the front office and coaching staff have changed, but it doesn’t matter. Three years later, the 2021 race looks like an anomaly. The Hawks have spent those seasons hovering around .500 and accomplishing very little.

Now, Young’s status as a franchise player is in doubt. He has become one of the most common players in the rumor mill, and now that the Hawks have the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft, almost anything could be on the table. So why might the Hawks move Young? What could they get for him? And where is all this going?

Why is he in trade rumors?

The Hawks have finished six games under .500 over the last three regular seasons. Last season, a lineup featuring Young and Murray was outscored by 169 points in nearly 1,200 minutes. This was the worst two-man combination on the Hawks and the 49th worst combination in the entire NBA last season. The Hawks are 17-18 in games Murray has played without Young over the past two seasons, but just 60-69 with both of them in that span. This fit, without a doubt, does not work.

The Hawks could have traded Murray instead of Young, but they tried to do so at the trade deadline and did not receive any good offers. Maybe things changed in the offseason. If nothing else, the contenders will have even more options to work with once the calendar turns to the 2024-25 league year. But coach Quin Snyder reportedly made it known that he wanted the Hawks to retain Murray in February.

Building a functional NBA defense around Young seems impossible at this point, at least with the resources the Hawks have. Atlanta has never been ranked higher than 18th during his career. He’s small, his effort is inconsistent and he barely comes with any schematic versatility. With the No. 1 pick in the draft coming up, the Hawks have a real opportunity to hit the reset button and get a fresh start without such limitations.

Why would the Hawks keep him?

Young may wear down Atlanta’s defense, but he is aggressive. The Hawks have consistently outperformed their talent offensively due to Young’s made shots. He also has offensive limitations at his size, but even with all the turmoil last season, Young ranked as the 18th best offensive player in the NBA based on his EPM metric of dunks and threes. He has been ranked fourth on their board throughout the season. Despite all his weaknesses, Young is one of the best pick-and-roll operators in basketball.

This is the primary difference between Young and Murray. A very good player who is best suited for a supporting role. The second is the flawed face of the franchise. It’s easier to find players of Murray’s caliber than players like Young, even though Murray has a more complete skill set. Without Young, the Hawks will need a new cornerstone.

It’s also important to mention that Young will only be 26 years old on opening night. Any notion that it is a finished product is probably short-sighted. Its physical dimensions are always going to create shortcomings. Good. But, even within the limited upside world he lives in, he probably had his best defensive season yet. He may never have taken on the off-ball duties the Hawks hoped for, but that’s a certain mindset, not a physical limitation. Waiver of a player so young and so talented is an inherent risk the Hawks may not want to take.

Which destinations matter?

Young is a tough player to trade for because Murray’s situation has proven that he can’t really function next to another high-usage guard. His value is maximized only when his offense completely dominates him. There are teams that cannot provide him with that level of control and therefore, there is no point. Here are three teams that could be.

Los Angeles Lakers: Yes, yes, we just said Young needs to run the offense. How will he fare next to a control freak like LeBron James? Well, maybe he won’t, which is an idea I explain in more depth Here, But James is about to turn 40, and the Lakers need a new centerpiece after he retires or leaves. Young and Anthony Davis make a lot of sense together. They would be a great pick-and-roll duo and could cover Davis Young’s defensive weaknesses. This would be a move to bring more attention to James’ later life, even if they overlap in Los Angeles.

Orlando Magic: The Magic have two forwards who run their offense in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but their guards are relatively underutilized. Now, if Wagner continues to shoot the same poor 3 as he did last season, it would be bad to take him off the ball in a youth-centric offense. But if the Magic can get some shooting elsewhere without sacrificing the defense that made them special last year? The youth will go far aggressively. Still, the entire identity of this team has been size and defense. Youth would be a huge distraction.

San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs would be Atlanta’s preferred trade partner because San Antonio has control of Atlanta’s next three first-round picks after 2024. If the Hawks get those back, they can tank and rebuild properly. If there’s any player who can guard Young defensively, it’s Victor Wembanyama, and we saw last year how badly the Spurs needed a point guard to create shots for him. Their skill sets align perfectly if the Spurs are ready to make a big move.

What is the latest reporting?

Virtually all reporting indicates the Hawks will attempt to move at least one of their guards. Yahoo’s Jake Fisher reported in May that there was a growing belief around the league that Young would be on the block. The Lakers are a team that has definitely been are linked For Young, albeit in the first offseason. Reports have suggested that Spurs may not be interested, although it could be a matter of price. One of these Hawks guards is being traded. The only question now is whether it will be Young or Murray.