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Mar 25, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) shoots the ball during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Trae Young Receives Fresh NBA Trade Deadline Prediction

Originally posted on Atlanta Hawks on SI
By Jackson Caudell | Last updated Aug 17, 2025 1:17 PM ET

This has objectively been a great Summer for the Atlanta Hawks, but there has been one storyline that has drawn the most attention and it is regarding Trae Young. While there were plenty of trade rumors around Young last summer, the discussion this summer has been around Young's extension or a lack thereof.

Young is eligible to sign a four-year, $229 million extension this summer, but there has not been a deal as of yet.

The team the Hawks have assembled this Summer and even dating back to last summer has been revolved around Young. Atlanta has added Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher, Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, and Asa Newell over the past two off-season's and this team is projected to be among the best in the Eastern Conference.

But what if they are not? Given the health track records of Porzingis and Jalen Johnson, the Hawks are far from a lock to be a top four seed or legitimate playoff contender. If the Hawks flop and Young still has no extension, could trade talks come back to the forefront?

Trade Deadline

While there is no reporting around Young suggesting that he wants out, if the Hawks end up disappointing and there is no extension, it is not crazy to think Young could be on the trade block in February. Given the fact that Porzingis and Kennard also have one year deals plus the Hawks control the New Orleans Pelicans 2026 1st round pick, Atlanta may opt to start building around their younger players after trying to go for at the start of the season.

Bleacher Report's Grant Hughes predicted Young will be one of the most talked-about stars at the deadline:

"Trae Young still has two more years on his current contract, and the Atlanta Hawks' remade roster feels purpose-built to function around him.

For Young, that's apparently not enough.

The Hawks have yet to offer Young a contract extension worth up to $229 million over four years. The San Antonio Spurs just gave that exact deal to De'Aaron Fox, and the Los Angeles Lakers inked Young's draft classmate, Luka Dončić, to a three-year, $165 million agreement.

Frustrated as Young may be, there's really not much urgency on Atlanta's side. It can offer him an extension at any point between now and June 30, 2026. But with his peers signing deals, Young is feeling left out.

Will he be annoyed enough to ask for a trade? Is Atlanta's hesitancy evidence that its future plans don't actually center around the three-time All-Star? We'll get more clarity on the dynamics in Atlanta as time goes by, but it's fair to say that not everyone's on the same page at the moment.

Which is why it might be worth keeping an eye on Young if he doesn't sign an extension ahead of the trade deadline. Holding a player option for 2026-27, Trae could effectively be an expiring contract this season. The Hawks may not want to deal with unrestricted free agency if it comes to that, and Young is already moderately peeved."

Young has Pressure On Him This Season

The Ringer's Michael Pina had Young as one of the six NBA figures under the most pressure this season:

"Since he was drafted, Young’s offensive brilliance and defensive limitations have heavily influenced almost every personnel move the Hawks have made. The results, with three different head coaches and now three general managers, have been unremarkable: Young has not won a playoff series since a magical run to the conference finals in 2021. That doesn’t mean trading him is a prerequisite for a Finals run, but it’ll be nearly impossible for Atlanta to get where it wants to go if Young assumes nearly a third of the cap, with other integral building blocks soon due their own pricey extensions.

Young’s exit from the Hawks may be fait accompli—especially if the New Orleans Pelicans end up forking over a high lottery pick in 2026 that lets Atlanta enter a new era—but the winds of change blow fast in NBA circles. A future very much still exists in which Young and the only team he’s ever played for flourish when he’s surrounded by more talent and better shooters than ever before. Unless he’s willing to take a pay cut, Young’s future home depends on it. And if the Hawks can’t find a trade partner who’s willing to pay Young what he wants without sending back any unwanted long-term salary, there’s also a world where they’ll let him walk as a free agent."

A motivated Trae Young is the best Trae Young and I expect to see the best version of him, not just because he wants to earn a huge contract extension, but I think Young is motivated more than ever to prove that he is a winning player that can be built around and he will welcome the pressure that comes with this season.