The NBA’s Feb. 5 trade deadline is 30 days away, but the first significant deal could be just around the corner.
atlanta hawks And trey youngRepresentatives are working together to find a trade for the four-time All-Star point guard, Sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on MondayThe move will end more than seven years with the franchise, which saw Young selected No, 5 overall following a memorable 2018 draft-night deal, luka doncic headed towards dallas mavericks,
Young led the Hawks to Game 6 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, made a surprise appearance in the 2024 NBA Cup Semifinals and led the league in total assists on three separate occasions. At 27 years old, Young is already the Hawks’ all-time leader in assists and 3-pointers.
As trade talks look to heat up in Atlanta, our NBA insider is examining all sides of the situation – including why the Hawks might have trouble finding a market for Young, and four offers Atlanta could consider.
Go straight to business proposals
How did Young and the Hawks get here?
This summer, newly installed general manager Onsi Saleh upgraded Atlanta’s roster by acquiring 3-and-D guard Nichelle Alexander-Walker In sign-and-trade with minnesota timberwolves and stretch-5 kristaps porzingis in business with boston celtics(Saleh got one of the best assets in the league – both 2026 unprotected first-round picks New Orleans Pelicans Or milwaukee bucks — in a draft-night deal with New Orleans in June.)
Expectations soared for both Young and the tall, athletic roster surrounding him. Atlanta was previously projected to compete for a top-4 seed in the East. But in the 10 games Young has played this season, the Hawks have gone 2-8 and have been unable to overcome their defensive shortcomings.
Atlanta’s defensive rating, ranked 17th in the NBA with 115.5 points per 100 possessions, averaged 126.2 points with Young on the court – nearly five points worse than the bottom ranking. utah jazz protect.
There were plenty of signs that Young Trade could be coming in the next 12 to 18 months. The front office decided not to extend the guard’s contract this summer and gave the defensive stalwart dyson daniels A four-year, $100 million extension. and with further emergence jalen johnson With Young’s injury absence, the franchise had a chance to take a long look at a roster led by a different All Star-caliber player. –Tim Bontemps
What is the market for Young? Why can finding a business partner be so difficult?
There isn’t much need for point guard play. In the league, the two deepest positions are point guard and center, so teams trying to move at either position will struggle to get full value back.
Young’s contract is another hurdle for Atlanta, as he is owed $46 million this season with a player option for 2026-27 worth $49 million. The salary cap apron restrictions will make it difficult for teams to capture that number.
Many potential contenders do not meet both criteria, which is why this situation has remained in the background for the past several weeks. But washington wizards With a massive amount of veterans having expiring contracts, that’s on the short list. khris middleton And CJ McCallum Which can be included in the Young Deal. Washington also lacks a long-term solution at point guard. (And current Wizards vice president of player personnel Travis Schlenk drafted Young in 2018.) — Bontemps
Four proposals for Young
Here are the offers our experts have made to get Young out of Atlanta:
Wizards get:
trey young
2031 second-round pick (via Hawks and Rockets better)
Hawks get:
Malachi Branham
aj johnson
CJ McCallum
2026 first-round pick (via Clippers, Rockets and Thunder’s worst)
Here’s the simplest outline of a Wizards deal built around McCollum and Young. Such a deal would likely require a 3-for-1 swap, given the difference between Young’s $46 million salary and the $30.7 million McCollum earned in the final season of his contract. Branham and Johnson are on the fringes of the Wizards rotation after playing a combined 246 minutes this season, and only Johnson ($3.2 million) is under contract through 2026-27.
Removing Young’s salary from the Hawks’ books would give them massive flexibility for 2026-27 and beyond, while McCollum would fill the team’s most important need for the rest of this season – playmaking when neither Young nor Jalen Johnson are on the court. For the Wizards, this is a low-cost bet on a talented player who should be in his prime. –Kevin Pelton
Wizards get:
trey young
2026 second-round pick (via Hornets, top-55 protected)
Hawks get:
Malachi Branham
devin carter
aj johnson
malik monk
Dario Saric
2026 first-round pick (via Clippers, Rockets and Thunder’s worst)
Kings to get:
Alternatively, Atlanta could try to find a long-term replacement off the guard’s bench. Monk is 27 years old and just two seasons removed from becoming Sixth Man of the Year runner-up. But he didn’t get the support he needed because of a logjam in the Sacramento backcourt. The Kings would certainly be thrilled to get out the remaining two years and $42 million left on his contract as they look to rebuild.
With Monk and Johnson under contract for 2026-27, the Hawks will still have ample ability to use exceptions this offseason. And keeping Monk under contract could help facilitate equal salary if Atlanta moves on giannis antetokounmpo Do business in summer. — Pelton
Boxes are available:
Hawks get:
kyle kuzma
bobby portis
gary harris
2031 first-round pick
Antetokounmpo-damian lillard The pairing didn’t work out for Milwaukee, but maybe a different smaller, offensive-oriented lead guard would be a better matchup with the two-time MVP. The Bucks are a potential suitor of Young as they are desperate to continue adding Antetokounmpo rather than trade him, and they have a big role player salary to match.
Other than bolstering a shallow frontcourt, this deal won’t help Atlanta much at present. But the key part in this potential return for Young — and taking up the remaining years on Kuzma and Portis’ deals — is being Milwaukee’s only tradable first-round pick, which could be extremely attractive. In the 2030-31 season, Antetokounmpo will turn 36 years old. – Zack Cram
The Trail Blazers get:
Hawks get:
jerami grant
Robert Williams III
Portland is flying under the radar as a team that is in serious need of a point guard: The Trail Blazers are suffering from a lack of playmaking talent due to Lillard being out for the season, junior holiday Out from mid-November, Shaddon Sharp Still struggling with growing pains and am 21 years old scooter henderson Both are unproven at the NBA level and are absent due to hamstring injuries with no clear timetable for return. Monday night entry, deni avdija Was the only Blazer with at least 100 assists this season.
Young would provide an immediate boost to the Trail Blazers’ 24th-ranked offense, and at least in theory, Portland has the perimeter and interior defenders to cover for him on the defensive end — even if that formula doesn’t apply in Atlanta.
Grant, out since mid-December due to Achilles tendinitis, would improve Atlanta’s forward rotation. The veteran forward is averaging 20 points on 60% true shooting as part of a solid bounce-back season. One complication is Grant’s salary, which is smaller than Young’s but extended for an additional year: Grant is owed $34.2 million in 2026-27 with a player option for $36.4 million for 2027-28. –Cram
Bobby Marx chose the best deal: Mr. Young went to Washington
Atlanta should consider this checklist when exploring youth trades:
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The Hawks should prioritize a deal that doesn’t require moving significant money back for next season. Removing Young’s $49 million salary for 2026-27 allows Atlanta to work as a team under the cap in the offseason.
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Atlanta should make a deal that adds a starting-caliber point guard to the roster or a guy who will play rotational minutes off the bench.
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Adding draft capital in June or in future years is a big plus.
The Wizards’ trade for McCollum, Branham, AJ Johnson and perhaps Oklahoma City’s 2026 first-round pick completes this trio.
Adding McCollum not only helps financially but gives coach Quin Snyder options with his starting lineup. McCallum has started 89% of his games since the 2013–14 season.
One question left unanswered: Would Atlanta have to offer Washington its own first-round selection to recoup Young’s hefty salary for next season? Even if the answer is ultimately yes, this Wizards trade would still rank on top of the other three options.
On the Wizards side, they are taking an approach of freeing up cap space for next season by projecting an established player. While the goal is to retain their first rounder this season – the selection has to go. new York Knicks If it falls out of the top eight – the priority is to compete for at least a play-in spot in the near future. , Mark
