‘Blockbuster’ Trade Proposal Sends Trae Young To Heat

One NBA writer proposed that the Miami Heat acquire Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks. 

Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report proposed the following mock trade between the Heat and Hawks:

The Miami Heat acquire Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks for Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, 2028 first-round swap, 2029 first-round pick, 2030 first-round swap, 2031 first-round pick

“The Hawks don’t own their 2025 first-rounder, so trading Trae Young as part of a tank doesn’t make sense,” Hughes wrote in his NBA trade proposal. “That’s why they’re taking back rotation-caliber veterans to slot into their softer rebuild around No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher and Jalen Johnson. Even with Young, the Hawks project to be a Play-In team this year. What’s the harm in moving him for great value and looking toward the latter half of the decade?

“Young is due to earn $43 million next year and $46 million in 2025-26 with a $49 million player option for 2026-27. That’s a hefty price tag for an offense-only guard whose leadership qualities haven’t exactly shone through to this point in his career. But he’d cure what ails the Heat by providing the reliable shot creation and perimeter scoring that has eluded them for years. Miami’s offense has ranked above the league average just once in the last four years, and it’s been a bottom-10 producer in each of the past two seasons. Scoring woes have essentially wasted a perennial top-10 defense. If any team is equipped to onboard Young, an extreme one-way player, it’s this one.”

Young averaged 25.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, 10.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.2 blocks in 2023-24 for the Hawks while shooting 43.0% from the field, 37.3% from beyond the arc and 85.5% from the free-throw line. He recorded 37 double-doubles in 54 games. 

Young signed a five-year, $215 million extension with the Hawks in August 2021. He’ll make $43 million next season.

Young holds career averages of 25.5 points, 3.6 rebounds, 9.5 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.2 blocks. He doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract. 

One of the top scorers and passers in the NBA, Young has not requested a trade from the Hawks, who went only 36-46 in 2023-24 and traded Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason. 

The Hawks missed the playoffs last season, while the Heat lost to the Boston Celtics in the first round in five games.