Hawks trade Trae Young to the Wizards
After weeks of speculation, the Atlanta Hawks traded star point guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards.
Young was moved in a deal to Washington in exchange for only guards CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. It did not include any draft pick compensation.
The writing had been on the wall for several months as Young and the Hawks had reached an impasse, especially as he was out due to a quad contusion injury that forced him to miss the last couple of weeks. The team chose not to give him a contract extension this past offseason.
The four-time All-Star had singled out the Wizards as his preferred trade destination, giving him a fresh start elsewhere. Meanwhile, Washington is taking a significant risk as Young holds a roughly $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
The move signals that the organization is confident it can secure the lucrative long-term deal that the 27-year-old is likely eyeing. For Young, it’s an opportunity to reestablish himself as a franchise cornerstone that can lead the team toward sustained success.
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When healthy, Young has proven to be one of the league’s most dynamic offensive talents, holding career averages of 25.2 points and 9.8 assists. The Wizards are a rebuilding franchise that may finally have a sense of direction with the star point guard leading the charge.
The Hawks will move forward with their young nucleus, led by guards Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is experiencing a breakout campaign in his first season with the franchise.
