Trae Young hints at frustration with Hawks after trade to Wizards

The NBA had its first blockbuster trade of the season when Trae Young was sent from the Atlanta Hawks to the Washington Wizards, and the four-time All-Star has now addressed the move.

The Hawks traded Young to the Wizards on Wednesday in exchange for veteran guard CJ McCollum and sharpshooter Corey Kispert. Young had been sitting out with a quad injury during Atlanta's home game against the New Orleans Pelicans when he received the news of the trade and began saying goodbye to teammates and coaches in the middle of the fourth quarter.

Young had been with the Hawks since they drafted him with the No. 5 overall pick in 2018. With the team off to an 18-21 start this season and not looking like a championship contender, the decision was made to trade Young for financial flexibility and to officially begin a rebuild.

Trae Young breaks his silence

On Friday, Young issued a statement on social media addressing the trade. He seemed to hint at frustration with the Hawks.

"Never thought I'd be typing this...

"The last few years weren't how I wanted them to be. Expectations that we created for ourselves, reaching heights that Atlanta has never reached before.

"Bringing a championship to Atlanta was always my goal. However, between the injuries, the setbacks, and situations that didn't make sense, we never truly got to see our full potential.

"The city that raised me and taught me so much will always be a chapter in this story...

"However, the pain of staying the same eventually outweighed the uncertainty of change. Change is often met with fear. But I see it as another opportunity.

"I'm walking into this next chapter ecstatic, with my head high and my eyes forward. It's time to see what's possible when the support is real and the vision is clear. We move."