The trade value of Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young is reportedly not as high as the team would like.
NBA insiders Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon discussed Young’s situation on The Hoop Collective podcast, revealing that the Hawks explored potential trades for Young this offseason but did not find a suitable market.
“There wasn’t a real market for Trae Young,” MacMahon noted, suggesting that if there had been significant interest, Young might have already been traded.
Despite being a key player for the Hawks, Young’s current value in the trade market is not meeting the team’s expectations, which complicates Atlanta’s position as they consider their options.
As the 2024-25 season approaches, Young remains with the Hawks, while his former teammate, Dejounte Murray, was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Hawks received a package of Dyson Daniels, E.J. Liddell, Larry Nance Jr., Cody Zeller (via sign-and-trade), and two future first-round draft picks in exchange for Murray.
MacMahon pointed out that the Hawks are in a challenging situation because they need to rebuild quickly, but their ability to do so is limited by the fact that the San Antonio Spurs hold much of their draft capital.
This predicament makes it difficult for the Hawks to fully commit to a rebuild, as they cannot afford to bottom out and further improve the Spurs’ draft position.
Windhorst added that this season is crucial for Young, especially as he approaches the possibility of signing a contract extension.
Young, who is on what Windhorst referred to as the “fun max” contract, will soon face the “stress max” phase, where both the player and the team experience pressure during contract negotiations.
Under NBA’s new financial rules, teams must be more cautious with their spending, especially when it comes to the 30 percent portion of a max contract, making it imperative for Young to have a standout season.
Young, who is entering his seventh season with the Hawks, averaged 25.7 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 10.8 assists per game last year.
The 25-year-old has three years remaining on his five-year, $215 million contract, with the final year being a player option.
As extension talks loom, Young’s performance this season will play a significant role in determining his future with the Hawks and his potential value on the trade market.
