Source: Lakers, Spurs Will Try To Trade For Hawks’ Trae Young This Summer

April 3, 2024

The Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs will attempt to trade for Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young this summer, an NBA source told Hoops Wire.

NBA, Lakers, Spurs, Hawks, Trae Young — Todd Kirkland/Getty Images

The Hawks are open to moving on from Young and center Clint Capela and building around Dejounte Murray, Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu, Bogdan Bogdanovic and possibly De’Andre Hunter, per source.

Young has the same agent (Rich Paul of Klutch Sports Group) as Lakers stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The guard signed a five-year, $215 million extension with the Hawks in August 2021. He’ll make $43 million next season and $45 million in 2025-26.

The Lakers view Young as a third star who can help them push for a title alongside LeBron and Davis. LeBron, 39, can become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines his 2024-25 player option, but the four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP is expected to remain with the Lakers, per source.

Meanwhile, the Spurs want an experienced point guard to pair next to Victor Wembanyama, per source. According to Howard Beck of The Ringer, the Hawks discussed a Young trade with the Spurs this season.

The Lakers (43-33) are in ninth place in the West this season, while the Spurs (18-58) have the worst record in the conference.

Young is one of the best floor generals in the NBA. He’s currently out with a finger injury and it’s unknown if he’ll play again this season.

Before getting hurt, Young was averaging 26.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 10.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.2 blocks for the Hawks while shooting 42.6% from the field, 37.1% from beyond the arc and 85.6% from the free-throw line. He had 35 double-doubles in 51 starts.

Young, 25, holds career averages of 25.6 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.

The Hawks reached the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, where they lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in six games. Since then, Atlanta hasn’t made it out of the first round of the playoffs.