Trae Young returned to State Farm Arena for the first time since his trade to Washington, expressing deep appreciation for Atlanta fans. “I just wanted the Hawks fans to know how much I love and appreciate them,” Young told reporters before tipoff Tuesday, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
The All-Star point guard reflected on his journey in Atlanta, recalling his draft night and the trade that launched his career. “I still found a way to make a name for myself, make a name for my team and try to put this city on the map where people were talking about us. You can’t do that without the fans,” he said.
Young acknowledged the loyalty of supporters during difficult seasons. “The fans showed us so much love throughout the years that we were down. It felt like there was still a lot of love. So, I’ve got so much love for this city and these fans,” he added.
He described returning as a unique experience, noting the emotional weight of revisiting the arena. “It’s been crazy, it’s been different. From everything, I’ve just been, to be honest, trying to soak everything in since I’ve been back, just the new experiences and things like that that, obviously, I’m not used to. It’s super unique and something that I’ve been thinking about these past few weeks,” Young said.
The Hawks reshaped their roster significantly leading up to the 2026 trade deadline, sending Young to Washington for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Other moves included trading Kristaps Porzingis for Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield, acquiring Jock Landale, and exchanging Luke Kennard for Gabe Vincent and a future second-round pick.
Atlanta’s front office, led by GM Onsi Saleh, emphasized long-term flexibility and draft capital accumulation, creating $35 million in cap space and securing multiple second-round picks. Despite a 1-3 record following the trades, the Hawks remain focused on building for the future.
The Hawks currently sit ninth in the Eastern Conference with a 27-31 record, holding the most favorable 2026 first-round pick after a five-way swap.
