The Atlanta Hawks are reportedly ready to move on from star guard Trae Young. Aaron Mintz, Drew Morrison, and Austin Brown, Young’s agents, have begun to collaborate with the club on a possible trade, according to a Monday report by ESPN’s Shams Charania. The insider added that talks between the agents and general manager Onsi Saleh have been “positive and collaborative.”
Young’s future in Atlanta has been up in the air following the franchise’s decision not to offer him a contract extension. The four-time All-Star is eligible for an extension and has a $48.9 million player option next season. Charania’s report sends a signal that the Hawks are ready to move on from him.
Sources: Hawks, Trae Young working together on trade out of Atlanta – via @ESPN App https://t.co/wIVw9atDBP
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 5, 2026
The Hawks are focused on building a competitive team around their young core of Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher and Dyson Daniels. This season, Young has appeared in just 10 games, averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists.
The team hasn’t been successful with Young over the past two seasons. The Hawks have missed the postseason. The last time they were in the playoffs, the team was sent home by the Boston Celtics in the first round. The season before that, it was more of the same. Atlanta had an early playoff exit after a first-round series loss to the Miami Heat.
Trae Young has been the Hawks’ best star since they traded for him in the 2018 draft. But things haven’t been well over the past few seasons, which has urged them to move on from the one-time All-NBA.
The Washington Wizards have emerged as a potential landing spot for Trae Young
Trae Young may be struggling this season, but there are still teams interested in trading for him. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Washington Wizards have emerged as a potential landing spot for the star guard. The Wizards are reportedly looking to trade CJ McCollum and his expiring $64 million contract.
“The Wizards have emerged as a legitimate potential trade destination for Atlanta’s Trae Young,” Stein reported. “In a deal construction centered around CJ McCollum’s expiring contract.”
If Trae Young gets traded to the Wizards, it could be similar to his situation with the Hawks. Washington has a promising youth, and the veteran guard wants to contend for championships.
