NBA trade season is warming up and Trae Young sits at the center of the buzz. The Hawks have endured a rough stretch this year and Young’s seven-plus-year run in Atlanta. The 2021 Eastern Conference finals trip and a 2024 NBA Cup semifinal appearance looks likely to end. Sources say Atlanta and Young’s reps are actively exploring trades as the Feb. 5 deadline approaches.
Trade talks are escalating because Young has serious liabilities. Defensively, he drags the Hawks down. Atlanta’s defensive rating worsens drastically with him on the court. His contract complicates matters too he is owed roughly $46 million this season and holds a $49 million player option for 2026-27. As CBS Sports bluntly put it, “the Hawks aren’t trading Young for value. They’re trying to cap dump him before he picks up his $49 million player option for next season.”
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ESPN’s mock proposals even link Young to the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks would gain a dynamic playmaker who could create easier looks for Giannis. That could help Milwaukee’s offensive spacing and reduce late-clock stagnation. Adding Young would be a risky tilt toward offense, but it might solve Milwaukee’s need for elite shot creation.
“The Bucks are a potential Young suitor because they’re desperate to continue adding around Antetokounmpo, rather than trading him, and they have the big role player salaries to match,” reported by ESPN.
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Other teams in the mix include Washington, Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto and Portland, each offering different fits and salary structures. Washington appears the likeliest match contractually, while the Clippers and Raptors are presented as intriguing sleepers.
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Still, the field is narrow, the league’s current salary rules and a glut of point guards make finding full value for Young difficult. For Atlanta, the priority seems clear: clear cap space and a new direction.
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