Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks are about to divorce. The two sides are working together to find a deal before the NBA trade deadline in February, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania. Young has spent his entire career in Atlanta since becoming the fifth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He has a $48.9 million player option for next season and would be a free agent if he declines it or after 2026-27.
Young missed a 22-game stretch with a sprained MCL earlier this season, and the Hawks seemed to have a better formula without him. The Hawks are 15-12 without Young in the lineup, and not surprisingly, they looked much better defensively when he was out. Young remains one of the most talented offensive creators in the game and could be a great asset to a team looking for a leading powerhouse who can combine scoring and playmaking. There’s a clear favorite to land Young right now, and it might come as a surprise if you haven’t been following the rumors closely.
The Washington Wizards are a “legitimate potential trade destination” for Young, according to longtime insider Marc Stein. The Wizards own the fourth-worst record in the NBA right now and are expected to have plenty of cap space this summer. Washington still hopes to hit the lottery ahead of a loaded 2026 NBA Draft, but they must feel Young could work well with any of the top three prospects: Duke forward Cameron Boozer, Kansas guard Darryn Peterson and BYU wing AJ Dybantsa.
The Wizards have been losing this season, but have seen good development in their young core. Alex Sarr, the second overall pick in the 2024 draft, has taken a big leap forward as a scorer and still projects as a top-level defender long-term. Second-year wing Kyshawn George has taken on more playmaking duties this year, and third-year wing Bilal Coulibaly has looked better in recent weeks since returning from injury. Added rookie shooter Tre Johnson, whom Washington selected No. 5 overall in the 2025 draft, and you can see why the Wizards could be interested in Young.
Young is a super talented ball creator and one of the best passers in the NBA. The Wizards’ young core is primarily made up of play finishers. Young is a playmaker who can help accelerate the development of players like Sarr and Johnson by setting them up for easy baskets while still having plenty of scoring gravity of his own. The fact that Washington has drafted mostly long, mobile players who project well defensively over the long term is also a good option to cover Young’s defensive limitations.
The framework for a deal between the Hawks and Wizards would begin with CJ McCollum’s salary expiring going to Atlanta. I included two young players: third-year wing Cam Whitmore and rookie wing Will Riley who were headed to Washington. Add a draft pick of your own.
Who else might be interested in Trae Young? Here are five more suitors:
Miami heat: The Heat are always looking for stars and Young definitely still counts as one. This deal would allow Miami to keep all of its picks in addition to burgeoning second-year big man Kel’el Ware.
Minnesota Wolves: The Wolves’ search for a point guard alongside Anthony Edwards has been an ongoing story for years, but unfortunately it doesn’t look like their bold trade for Rob Dillingham is going to pay off. Young would completely free up Edwards to play off the board, and Minnesota has the defensive firepower to cover his deficiencies there. It is difficult to match the salary, so a trade between several teams could be necessary.
Brooklyn Networks: Michael Porter Jr. is playing crazy for a bad Nets team. If Brooklyn doesn’t like the potential draft compensation that exists on the trade market, would they opt for a star like Young? At least it would bring more excitement to the building. This deal could work out for both sides if the Hawks like what they are seeing in MPJ.
Houston Rockets: The Rockets have so much size and physicality that it feels like they are the best possible team to cover Young’s deficiencies in his playing ability. Houston’s half-court offense still relies heavily on offensive rebounding, and adding Young would give them a great passer to potentially set up some easier baskets. A deal built around the injured Fred VanVleet for Young is a decent starting point.
Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers were absolutely horrible before their recent winning streak. While I’m now in favor of Los Angeles trading Kawhi Leonard, perhaps they would make a bold move to add a younger star in Young. Here’s something crazy that will probably never happen:
The best bet here is the Wizards. Expect a Trae Young trade to DC in the coming weeks (or maybe even days) without much draft compensation to return to Atlanta.