Report: Hawks Would Have Traded Trae Young If He Had ‘Real Market’

According to NBA reporter Tim MacMahon of ESPN, the Atlanta Hawks would have traded Trae Young if the guard had a “real market.”

Young’s trade value is not as high as the Hawks would like.

“The simple fact of the matter is if there was a real market for Trae Young, he’d be somewhere else right now,” MacMahon said. “It’s not like they got some kind of wild blockbuster return for Dejounte Murray. …  There wasn’t a real market for Trae Young and he doesn’t necessarily need to re-establish a trade market for himself, but as extension talks are coming, I think he does have to re-establish his value.

“But honestly, he’s in a bad situation in Atlanta because the Hawks are in a position where they should be entering what would hopefully be kind of a rapid rebuild, but they can’t because the Spurs have all their draft capital. So they’re in this awkward situation where they should be unloading more pieces, but it’s just not something that you can’t bottom out to make the Spurs better.”

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, who turns 26 in September, 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. 

In June, NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported that Young was open to getting traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs and Pelicans.

The Spurs signed Chris Paul, so they don’t need Young. Meanwhile, the Pelicans acquired Murray.