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Dec 19, 2024; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) goes up against San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Report: Trae Young's Camp Once Viewed Him As An Optimal Potential Partner For Victor Wembanyama

Originally posted on Atlanta Hawks on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Aug 10, 2025 2:31 PM ET

A year ago, there were rumors of the Atlanta Hawks being interested in potentially trading All-Star point guard Trae Young, but the franchise opted to keep him and instead move Dejounte Murray instead. That trade completely changed the outlook for the Hawks, as they were able to acquire Dyson Daniels and two first round picks in the trade that sent Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans. Daniels went on to win the NBA's most improved player award and finish second in defensive player of the year voting.

One of the teams that Young was linked to last summer was the San Antonio Spurs and it is not hard to see why. At the time, the Spurs were looking for a point guard to pair with emerging superstar Victor Wembanyama and Young is one of the best in the league. Not only that, but the Spurs controlled the Hawks draft picks in 2025, 2026, and 2027, making it a potential partnership.

No deal was ever reached, of course and there were no reports of a deal ever even being close, but in a report regarding Young and his potential contract extension with the Hawks this summer, NBA Insider Jake Fischer made an interesting note about Young and the Spurs:

"There was a time, sources say, when Young's camp viewed him as an optimal potential playmaking partner for Victor Wembanyama. He has since moved to CAA but was repped at the time by Rich Paul, who appeared determined to place one of the All-Star guards then on the Klutch Sports roster — Young, Fox or Darius Garland — alongside Wembanyama. Remember all that chatter about Garland to San Antonio last summer?

Turns out that Fox's contract starting one year earlier than Young's, as a 2017 draftee, helped bring a sense of urgency to his future getting resolved before Young's. It became one of the factors -- along with Fox's well-known fondness for Texas — that helped get a deal done with the Spurs."

While the trade rumors dominated the conversation around the Hawks last offseason, they are now focused on becoming one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta went out and traded for Kristaps Porzingis and signed Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, Nikola Djurisic, and Caleb Houstan. This team appears ready to challenge for a top four seed in the Eastern Conference and if they can, Trae Young might be in for a massive contract extension next summer.

After a report earlier in the week focused on Young's unhappiness that there has not been an extension, NBA insider Jake Fischer shared this today on any potential extension for the Hawks point guard:

"League sources tell me there are no plans for Young and the Hawks to engage in extension talks this summer.

This, though, does not necessarily come as a surprise.

Also unlike Dončić and Fox, Young was not traded prior to February's deadline. And the trades headlined by Dončić and Fox were obviously swung by teams eager to secure their new backcourt stars to long-term deals. The landscape is slightly different in Atlanta.

Sources say Young's side has actually been resigned for some time to the prospect of seeing out the final guaranteed year on his current contract rather than securing an extension, like his current contract, worth in excess of $200 million. He'd then have to make a decision about his $49 million player option for 2026-27."

Fischer made it clear to point out that Young is in no way pushing to get out of Atlanta:

"Let's, however, be clear:

No one is suggesting that Young is actively pushing to get out of Atlanta.

The Hawks have surrounded Young with numerous two-way wings and a new pick-and-pop partner thanks to their recent trade to acquire Kristaps Porzingis. He's never really played with a scoring forward of Porziņģis' caliber.

The reported disappointment Young is said to be feeling about his contract status appears to stem largely from the fact that the Hawks never really broached an extension at all. Young is confident, sources say, in his ability to lead the Hawks back to the playoffs, which could prove to be a meaningful inflection point for both Atlanta and Young himself to hold extension talks.

Yet if Young indeed has the sort of season that he thinks he and the Hawks are capable of, it's certainly feasible that he could emerge as one of the league's premier free agents in the summer of 2026 should he decline the player option. (Similar potential, mind you, applies to the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James and Austin Reaves.)"

It sounds like next summer is going to be the summer of Trae Young and this season will be a big indicator of how things could go.

If the Hawks can make a deep playoff run behind Young, it will be hard not to give him the max extension. The Hawks have built what appears to be the perfect team around Young, and there is going to be pressure on him to deliver for Atlanta in 2025-2026. It does not all fall on Young, but he has to show that he is worthy of a max extension. In the era of the second apron, teams cannot have players on max contracts if they are not sure about their ability to be a championship-caliber player.

Young is going to be one of the most interesting players to watch in the NBA this season for all of the reasons listed above. Let's see what he and the Hawks have in store.