The Atlanta Hawks have yet to sign Trae Young to a contract extension, which seems rather alarming given that the Hawks do not have any club control on Young beyond this coming season. Young has a $49 million player option for 2026-27, and at this point, you would have to think he would decline it.
So exactly is the Hawks' thought process here? Are they preparing to lose Young? Or are they just being cautious?
NBA insider Marc Stein provided an update on the situation this week, noting that Atlanta is waiting to see how Young looks alongside of Jalen Johnson as a starter for a full season.
Johnson was in the midst of a breakout campaign last year, averaging 18.9 points, 10 rebounds and five assists over 35.7 minutes a night. However, his season ended after just 36 games due to a shoulder injury.
The Hawks selected Johnson back in the 2021 NBA Draft, but he did not become a full-time starter until his third season, when he appeared in 56 contests during the 2023-24 campaign.
Johnson has certainly had difficulty staying healthy thus far, which could throw a bit of a wrench into Atlanta's plans this year. But it definitely makes sense for the Hawks to be in wait and see mode rather than hand Young a massive long-term contract that could end up coming back to bite them down the line.
While Young did lead the NBA with 11.6 assists per game in 2024-25, he has not been quite what Atlanta expected in terms of representing an elite scoring threat the past several seasons.
The 26-year-old averaged 24.2 points per game last year, his lowest mark since his rookie campaign in 2018-19. What's more, Young made just 34 percent of his three-point attempts, marking the second time in three seasons that he shot under 35 percent from downtown.
Young tallied a true-shooting percentage of 56.7 percent last season, his lowest mark since his debut campaign. He also posted a pedestrian .100 win shares per 48 minutes, well below his career average of .125 and significantly lower than his lifetime high of .181 that he achieved in 2021-22.
Young's stock has definitely dipped in recent years, so it's certainly understandable that the Hawks are taking their time when it comes to determining his future.
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