The Atlanta Hawks would likely need to attach draft capital in a potential deal with the Washington Wizards involving Trae Young, according to reporting from NBA insider Marc Stein.
Stein reported on The Stein Line that Washington would be positioned to ask for additional future assets if it were to engage seriously in talks for the longtime Atlanta point guard.
Young and the Hawks are actively collaborating on a possible trade, as previously reported by Shams Charania, though no concrete destinations have emerged at this stage of discussions.
League-wide evaluations of Young remain fluid, in part due to his contract structure and recent injury history, which complicate negotiations for both Atlanta and any potential trade partner.
The 27-year-old guard is in the middle of a contract that includes a $49 million player option for the 2026–27 season, a detail that looms large over Atlanta’s long-term planning.
If Young declines that option, he would be eligible to enter unrestricted free agency, increasing the urgency for the Hawks to clarify their direction before committing further resources.
Atlanta’s willingness to include draft compensation reflects the league’s perception that Young’s contract leverage limits the return teams are willing to offer without added incentive.
The Wizards, currently near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, are firmly in asset-accumulation mode and would prioritize future draft flexibility in any significant transaction.
Washington already features a young core led by Alex Sarr and Kyshawn George, making draft capital more appealing than immediate win-now pieces.
From Atlanta’s perspective, attaching picks could be viewed as a cost of resetting the roster around Jalen Johnson, Onyeka Okongwu, and Zaccharie Risacher.
Young’s on-court production this season has been solid when available, averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists in limited action, but his year has been disrupted by injuries.
He previously missed several weeks with a right MCL sprain and is currently sidelined with a right quad contusion, further complicating his trade value at this moment.
Young has been the face of the franchise since 2018, when Atlanta traded down with the Dallas Mavericks on draft night rather than selecting Luka Doncic.
That decision defined the Hawks’ trajectory, highlighted by an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2022 and an All-NBA selection for Young.
However, team results have been inconsistent since that playoff run, and the current season has reinforced questions about Atlanta’s ceiling with its existing core.
As the trade deadline approaches, league executives expect talks involving Young to intensify, with draft assets likely playing a central role in any agreement involving Washington.
