The Atlanta Hawks have plenty of problems as they prepare for the offseason. They’re five years into the Trae Young project, but it hasn’t produced as many playoff moments as they would have liked. The lack of success is putting plenty of questions on whether Young is the right cornerstone for the team to build around.
While Young has remains committed to playing for the Hawks next season, it hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from churning out predictions on where Young will end up if the Hawks do decide to move on from him.
Plenty of teams are interested in acquiring the talented point guard, but one franchise has gained ground as the biggest destination for the Oklahoma alum.
Los Angeles Lakers emerge as likely trade partners for Atlanta Hawks’ Trae Young
Jovan Buha of The Athletic is one of the more trusted NBA insiders, and he confirmed that the Lakers are indeed interested in acquiring Young’s services.
Buha had this to say about the potential trade, per Quenton S. Albertie of Last Word on Basketball:
“Yes, they are. I can confirm that from multiple sources. They are going third-star hunting this offseason. We’ll see how that affects the [D’Angelo Russell] situation. You’ll probably have to give up Austin [Reaves] in almost any third-star trade… The one name I continuoly hear is Trae Young… He’s a Klutch Sports client. That’s probably the most realistic one right now.”
Russell has been a solid guard for the Purple and Gold since he was acquired via trade in the 2022-23 season. He’s averaging 18.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists this season on 45.6% shooting and 41.5% from deep. However, he’s not the reliable third option who can help the Lakers win games against the West’s best teams in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Young has shown his ability as a capable player who can hold his own against the NBA’s best. The 6’1″ guard averaged 25.1 points, 2.8 assists, and 10.8 assists a game last season. His accuracy from range is at a disappointing 37.3%, but the clip is impressive when you consider the number of shots he takes per game.
It will be strange for Atlanta Hawks fans to let Young go to another team, but it may be time for them to start anew and find a better cornerstone to build their team.
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