Hawks trade Trae Young to Wizards

Two things can be true at the same time. Trae Young is one of the best players in franchise history, responsible for the greatest playoff run since the Hawks moved to Atlanta, finishing just two games shy of the NBA Finals. On the other hand, it’s easy to see why general manager Onsi Saleh might have felt it was time to move in another direction.

Young was looking for a contract extension, and while the Hawks hoped he would earn one with his performance this season, he’s appeared in only 10 games and Atlanta is just 2-8 in those contests. It would be unfair to put all the blame on Young for that record, but it was clear the Hawks weren’t any closer to being legitimate contenders.

With Jalen Johnson emerging as an All-Star, Atlanta appears ready to build around the electric point-forward, and they’ll have all the resources in the world to do so. They are armed with a ton of draft picks over the next two years, including one that is projected to land inside the top five this year. The trade also opens up approximately $37 million in cap space after the season, allowing the Hawks to pursue not just one, but multiple All-Stars.

CJ McCollum is on an expiring deal and will provide a veteran presence along with some much-needed offense the rest of the way. Kispert also adds real wing depth, averaging 10.9 points over his five-year career on 47.5% shooting, including 38.3% from beyond the arc. He has two more years remaining on his contract at $13.5 million per season, with a $13 million club option for the 2028-29 campaign.

The Hawks could conceivably roll with what they have and prepare for what should be an incredibly busy offseason, but there is still plenty of time between now and next month’s trade deadline.