Trae Young ‘Confident’ in His Ability to Lead Atlanta Hawks Back to NBA Playoffs Next Season

Trae Young is “confident” in his ability to lead the Atlanta Hawks back to the NBA playoffs next season, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.

The Hawks haven’t made the postseason since 2023.

Fischer also reports that Atlanta will not sign Young to an extension this offseason. Young is eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension.

“Trae Young is confident, sources say, in his ability to lead the Atlanta Hawks back to the playoffs, which could prove to be a meaningful inflection point for both Atlanta and Young himself to hold extension talks,” Fischer wrote. “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.”

Young will make $45.9 million next season. He can become an unrestricted free agent next offseason by declining his 2026-27 player option with the Hawks worth $48.9 million. 

One of the top scorers and passers in the NBA, Young averaged 24.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 11.6 assists for the Hawks last season in 76 games while shooting 41.1% from the field, 34.0% from beyond the arc and 87.5% from the free-throw line. The Oklahoma product was first in the NBA in assists and assists per game.

Atlanta missed the 2025 postseason despite Young’s stellar season. The franchise made the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, losing to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. The Hawks haven’t won a playoff series since then. 

Young has career averages of 25.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists with the Hawks. He has made four All-Star teams and one All-NBA team.

The Hawks’ new front office was busy this offseason, signing Luke Kennard and trading for Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Boston Celtics big man Kristaps Porziņģis.