Trae Young trade marks reset for Hawks, pivot for Wizards

Trade season didn’t ease in. It kicked the door open.

With a month to go before the Feb. 5 deadline, the NBA finally saw its first real move, as the Hawks sent Trae Young to the Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, as first reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

For Atlanta, this was the end of an era that peaked earlier than anyone expected. Less than five years ago, Young carried the Hawks to the Eastern Conference finals and looked like a franchise cornerstone.

Since then, it’s been quick playoff exits, uneven defense, and a roster that never quite fit around him.

The Hawks went just 2-8 in the 10 games Young played this season. More telling, they’ve quietly proven they can survive without him.

Atlanta’s net rating with Young off the floor this season is the best it’s been at any point in his career. That’s not an accident.

McCollum helps stabilize things immediately. Atlanta’s offense cratered whenever neither Young nor Jalen Johnson was on the floor, and McCollum gives the Hawks a shot-creator who can prop up second units.

Kispert adds shooting and is under contract long term, which matters as the Hawks reset their books.

Just as important, Atlanta regains flexibility. Young’s looming $49 million player option is gone. No Hawk is now owed more than $31 million in any season.

That opens doors — whether it’s extending McCollum, navigating Kristaps Porzingis’ situation, or chasing something bigger down the line.

The Hawks are betting on Johnson, their young defenders, and draft equity. It’s a gamble, but one they’ve clearly decided they needed to take.

For Washington, this is a pivot.

The Wizards have spent the past two seasons collecting young talent and waiting. Trading for Young signals they’re done waiting.

He immediately becomes their best offensive player and their most dangerous pick-and-roll threat since prime John Wall.

The fit isn’t seamless. Young dominates the ball, and Washington has several young players still figuring out their roles.

But the Wizards have the cap space, the patience, and now the time to see how it works. Young gives them direction. That’s something they’ve lacked.

This isn’t the final step for either team. It’s the first one.