Wizards’ Trae Young on not getting extension from Hawks: ‘Maybe the blessing in disguise’

For the first time since the blockbuster trade that sent him out of Atlanta, Trae Young is openly acknowledging what the Hawks never did.

They didn’t offer him a contract extension.

Speaking with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Young admitted the lack of commitment stung, even if it didn’t surprise him.

“It didn’t make me mad,” Young said. “It did make me sad. It was more disappointing. You wish it could have worked out and stuff, but that’s life. Maybe that not working out could be the blessing in disguise.”

Young was traded earlier this week from the Hawks to the Wizards in a deal that brought CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to Atlanta. The move followed months of uncertainty, with extension talks never gaining traction and the Hawks quietly surveying Young’s trade value dating back to the offseason.

Young, 27, is making $45.9 million this season and holds a $48.9 million player option for 2026-27, giving him the ability to reach unrestricted free agency next summer. 

“My feet are all here right now,” Young said. “I obviously have a player option this summer, but I just want to enjoy the city. I want to be around my teammates before an extension or anything like that.”

On the court, Young’s numbers remain solid, averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists this season, though Atlanta went just 2-8 in the games he played while he dealt with multiple injuries. For his career, he’s still producing at an elite level, with averages of 25.2 points and 9.8 assists.

Washington is betting that production, and Young’s star power, can accelerate a rebuild that has stalled since the franchise last reached the playoffs in 2021. The Wizards rank near the bottom of the league in attendance, and adding one of the NBA’s most dynamic offensive players could help both competitively and commercially.

“I really like the people around here,” Young said. “Front office, teammates, everybody. I just want to figure out the city, figure out the situation, and let everything else come later.”