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Trae Young to Phoenix? Diving Into Possible Trades
Jan 9, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) celebrates a shot against the Phoenix Suns in the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Trae Young has been one of the most polarizing players in the NBA over the course of the last few seasons. Has the All-Star guard reached his full potential with the Atlanta Hawks? Or is it time for him to move on?

Well, an insider is warning us all to monitor the situation, and the Phoenix Suns may be in play to add the guard via trade.

Insider FLEX From Jersey, hinted at the potential of Young and the Hawks splitting up.

"I told y'all to watch the Trae Young situation closely," he said earlier this week on X (formerly Twitter). "I've been hearing about some internal issues around that place for a while now! I'm still confused why Atlanta hasn't gotten that deal done already but NOT SURPRISED. Situation to monitor, as I noted back in June"

Young and the Hawks haven't amounted to much since making an improbable Eastern Conference finals run in 2021. Which has led people around the league to question whether Young has reached his ceiling as a player in the league or if Atlanta hasn't done an adequate enough job building a roster around one of the best point guards in the league.

Regardless what they plan to do, there are assuredly a handful of teams that wouldn't mind adding Young's production to their team.

Last season, Young averaged 24.2 points and a league-leading 11.6 assists per game on 41.1-34.0-87.5 shooting splits. His efficiency may have slid as a shooter, but he has consistenly improved as a playermaker each season he's been in the league.

Suns Potential Trade Package for Trae Young

What would Phoenix have to give up for the All-Star guard? Is a trade even worth it considering the spot the Suns are currently in? Well, we'll get to that, but let's first look at a potential trade.

PHNX Suns suggested this trade:

Suns receive: Trae Young and Onyeka Okongwu
Hawks Receive: Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and Khaman Maluach

Let's break down the trade.

Young is obviously the centerpiece of this trade. He's the best player and is worthy of some sort of a haul, especially considering Atlanta may be going into a reset should it ever consider trading Young. Okongwu is a serviceable big man who can easily slot into Phoenix's rotation next to Mark Williams and Nick Richards.

On the Hawks side, Green still has raw potential, which is part of the reason why Phoenix welcomed him in the Kevin Durant trade. Brooks would be Phoenix's biggest loss in this trade, though. He is a scrappy defender and some sort of a culture-setter that the Suns haven't had on the roster in a while.

Lastly, Phoenix can afford to send out Maluach if Okongwu is coming back in retunr. Regardless, I wouldn't do this trade. It's a lateral move, in my opinion. Sure, Young is an All-Star, but he's not going to turn the Suns into contenders overnight.

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This article first appeared on Phoenix Suns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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