Proposed trade sees Atlanta Hawks ‘swap problems’ with division rival

The term “one man’s trash is another’s treasure” is trickier in practice than it is in theory and Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young is being unfairly classified.

“Young’s value may be near its lowest point. Two years after making the Eastern Conference Finals and delighting in the villainous role his brash style earned him, the 24-year-old two-time All-Star has been more notable lately for clashes with coaches, dubious leadership and a refusal to move off the ball,” writes Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report.

“Of course, if he keeps hitting playoff game-winners to stave off elimination, Young’s price could climb.”

“The Hawks could go forward with [Bradley] Beal alongside Dejounte Murray in the backcourt and hope that the talent on hand would jell more effectively with Young out of the picture and more touches to go around,” Hughes argues

Beal, 29, averaged 23.2 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 50 games this past season while shooting 50.6% from the floor, 36.5% from downtown, and 84.2% at the free-throw line.

He is heading into the second year of a five-year, $251 million deal.

His $57.1 million player option in the 2026-27 season when he will be 33 years old is more than enough reason to pump the brakes on this idea, especially for a player who has missed at least 22 games in each of the last four seasons.

Atlanta staved off elimination with a heroic performance from Young without co-star Dejounte Murray. He finished the game with 38 points including the final 14 for the Hawks in front of a raucous TD Garden Arena crowd. But, even having battled back to a 3-2 deficit, the Hawks going on to win this series would mark just the 85th time in 355 tries it happens.

Of course, the Miami Heat just became the sixth team in NBA history to knock off a one-seed.

Young is entering the second year of his five-year, $215 million pact. But, still just 24 years old and coming off back-to-back seasons leading the NBA in total assists, even if he is a problem for the Hawks, it’s a better problem to have than the current version of Beal on that contract.

Adding Avdija, 22, is intriguing for a team that needs as many wing defenders as it can get. And the Wizards’ pick is slated to slot in at eighth overall pending the NBA Draft lottery on May 16. But even with that it’s just hard to see this deal returning close to the value Young has and will if things work out.

Trae Young’s father gets honest about Atlanta Hawks HC Quin Snyder

As Young silenced yet another Garden crowd, albeit in Boston instead of New York, his head coach was encouraging him.

“Said it once and I’ll say it again,” tweeted Rayford Young, Trae Young’s father. “No disrespect to anyone before but Quin Snyder is the best thing to happen to my son since he arrived in Atlanta draft night!”

Snyder’s takeover of the locker room has seemed universal.

Players who lamented former head coach Nate McMillan’s style of play relative to the group of players on the Hawks’ roster are saying different things about their new commandant.

The Hawks need to find some more magic in their Game 6 faceoff against the Celtics on Thursday night.