Rockets trade proposal lands Trae Young in Hawks blockbuster

Rockets receive: Trae Young

Hawks receive: Fred VanVleet, Reed Sheppard, 2025 first-round pick (via Suns), 2027 first-round pick (via Suns), 2028 first-round pick (top 4 protected)

Note: The Rockets must pick up VanVleet’s team option to make this deal work. 

Young and VanVleet share a lot of weaknesses. Both players are undersized and, therefore, have defensive limitations. VanVleet gives enough effort on defense to be proficient on that end, though.

However, Young’s defensive shortcomings have led to four straight disappointing seasons for the Hawks. The Hawks have been unable to surround Young with the players who could help get the team over the hump, so they may be willing to trade the Oklahoma product. His defensive limits will scare off some teams, but the Rockets shouldn’t be afraid to make a trade for Young.

For starters, Houston’s elite defensive unit would mask his defensive issues. Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Dillon Brooks, Jabari Smith Jr., and the coaching of Ime Udoka have turned the Rockets into one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, so opposing teams wouldn’t be able to target Young as much in Houston as they’ve been able to in Atlanta.

Additionally, Young would provide a major offensive boost. The point guard led the NBA with 11.6 assists per game, and he has previously led the league in scoring as well. Young’s playmaking is elite. He can score off the drive, and his range extends well past the 3-point line.

The Rockets often struggled with being stagnant on offense, but Young can create for himself and others at any given time. By trading for him, the Rockets would get the star that they desperately need without needing to change up their system too much because Young has a similar style of play to VanVleet.

Are the Hawks ready to blow things up and trade Trae Young?

The Hawks are stuck in mediocrity, so they might be willing to embrace a rebuild. The team has never before been more tailor-made to maximize Young’s skill sets as they were last year, yet they still weren’t able to break into the postseason.

Dyson Daniels nearly won the Defensive Player of the Year award, and he did win the league’s Most Improved Player award. Despite giving Young an elite defensive player in the backcourt, the Hawks still ranked in the bottom 10 of team defense.

The Rockets have a treasure trove of premier draft capital to trade, and the Hawks’ best chance at breaking out of mediocrity could be to move Young.

In this deal, the Hawks would land three first-round picks. The 2025 first-rounder from the Phoenix Suns is in the lottery, and the other Suns pick, coming in 2027, could be near the top of the first round as well. The Suns are also expected to blow things up, so they could still be rebuilding by 2027.

Reed Sheppard is also a player worth gambling on. The Rockets drafted him third overall in 2024, but a deep roster prevented him from seeing the floor much as a rookie.

The Kentucky product has immense potential, though, and he put up big numbers in the G-League this season. Sheppard could eventually take over as the star guard in Atlanta, but until then, VanVleet could pick up some of the slack left behind with Young’s departure.

Young has been rumored as a trade candidate for a couple of seasons now, and it may finally be the right time to move him. Jalen Johnson will return from injury next season, and the Hawks can move forward with him as their star player.