The Atlanta Hawks dealt the star guard to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday. Here’s how the deal shapes up for both teams and more.
Trae Young became one of the biggest names in the NBA over the years, but the Atlanta Hawks couldn’t find a way to keep him.
The Hawks dealt Young, a four-time All-Star who has a leg injury, to the Washington Wizards for guard C.J. McCollum and forward Corey Kispert. No future draft picks were involved in the trade.
Atlanta does not have to worry about Young’s $49 million player option for next season, but it gets two solid players in exchange. The Wizards get a dynamic guard in Young, once healthy, but will have the financial implications ahead.
Winner: Wizards
The Wizards added an accomplished offensive star and playmaker in Young, and he could easily be the best offensive player the Wizards have put on the court since John Wall in his prime. In addition, Young, 27, is in his prime and could make an impact for the Wizards for years to come.
Young’s presence ought to benefit the Wizards’ core of talent in Alex Sarr, Billal Coulibaly, and Kyshawn George. The caveat is how much and how soon, since Young has been dealing with knee and quad injuries this season.
Young is averaging 19.3 points per game this season, but he has played in only 10 games.
Winner: Hawks
It’s not common for a trade to be a true win-win, but the Hawks may have found one. As much as Young has been the star in Atlanta, it didn’t show in the win-loss column this season and hasn’t in the past, either.
Atlanta went 2–8 with him on the court this season and 16–13 with him sidelined. Overall, the Hawks were 46–48 without Young during his career, but the Hawks went 221–272 overall with Young on the court.
Parting ways with Young allows the Hawks to go all-in on the current direction of the team, with forward Jalen Johnson becoming one of the better defensive players in the game. The Hawks also have a good core with Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risascher, and Onyeka Okongwu.
Adding McCollum and Kispert will add offensive firepower in lieu of Young. The Hawks also created more salary cap space for the next offseason and could make a splash in free agency because of it.
Winner: New York Knicks
The Knicks likely won’t have to worry about Young in the playoffs this season with the Wizards, but what would come after is even bigger for the Eastern Conference’s second-place team.
New York has the Wizards’ top-eight protected first-round draft pick in 2026. If the selection lands in the ninth spot or later, the pick belongs to the Knicks.
Washington sits at 14th in the East, which keeps the Wizards in range for the play-in tournament and possibly out of the draft lottery. However, the Wizards have gone 5–5 in the past 10 games, and the addition of Young could boost that trend.
Young once gave the Knicks trouble in the postseason with the Hawks and then in the NBA Cup another year. The most he can do on the court with the Wizards this season against the Knicks, realistically, is play spoiler one night in the regular season. The Hawks, however, are in the hunt for a low playoff seed and could be the Knicks’ first-round opponent.
Winner: Wizards Fans
It hasn’t been easy for Wizards fans with a 10–26 basketball team. However, the Wizards now have star power that could bring in more fans to Capital One Arena.
Winner: Jalen Johnson
The Hawks are Johnson’s team now, with Young off to Washington. Johnson makes an impact on both sides of the court, and he’s on the radar for his first All-Star game appearance.
Loser: Wizards’ Defense
Young isn’t known as a strong defender, and the Wizards aren’t strong either on defense with 108 points per game allowed. Washington will need to outscore teams with Young and need to compensate for where he lacks on defense.
Loser: Hawks’ Future
The Hawks not gaining a draft pick in this deal is a true loss, though the team is set up well in the immediate future after the trade. Atlanta doesn’t have an additional pick to build with or capital from the nation’s capital to leverage in another future move.
