_Editor’s Note: The video in this story is from an earlier report._
ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Trae Young has issued his first statement after [being traded](https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/01/08/hawks-reportedly-trade-trae-young-wizards/) from the Atlanta Hawks to the Washington Wizards.
Young came to Atlanta following the 2018 NBA Draft. It’s the only team he has played for so far.
“Never thought I’d be typing this,” the star [said on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/p/DTSu6Orke8B/) Friday morning. “The last few years weren’t how I wanted them to be. Expectations that we created for ourselves, reaching heights that Atlanta has never reached before.”
He went on to say that his goal of bringing a championship to Atlanta never came to life between injuries, “setbacks” and “situations that didn’t make sense.”
Young has $95 million remaining on his contract, including a player option for 2026-27. He leaves the Hawks as the leader in 3-pointers and assists.
While he said Atlanta taught him so much and was the city that raised him, he’s ready for what’s next.
“However, the pain of staying the same eventually outweighed the uncertainty of change. Change is often met with fear, but I see it as another opportunity,” he said. “I’m walking into this next chapter ecstatic, with my head high and my eyes forward. It’s time to see what’s possible when the support is real and the vision is clear.”
The Hawks only made the playoffs three times during Young’s time in Atlanta, including a run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021.
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