Hawks fans ready to kiss Trae Young goodbye may not like this uncomfortable truth

There's never a dull moment in the Atlanta sports world.

As soon as fans were coming off of the news that the Falcons had let go of Head Coach Raheem Morris, ESPN's Shams Charania took it a step further.

According to Charania, "Atlanta Hawks All-Star Trae Young and his agents, Aaron Mintz, Drew Morrison and Austin Brown, are working with the franchise on a trade, sources tell ESPN. Young's reps and the Hawks have started collaborative talks over the last week on finding a resolution."

This report, while certainly more notable, wasn't the first to come out. Marc Stein got the conversation started, reporting that the Washington Wizards have "emerged as a legitimate potential trade destination" for the four-time All-Star.

Diving into his follow-up article, there was plenty to unpack, including something that could ultimately result in a deal falling apart.

Regarding the trade talks, Stein noted that it "remains to be seen whether the Hawks would also have to send the Wizards draft capital as a measure to convince them to absorb Young's contract."

The Hawks aren't desperate to move their franchise player.

If the Hawks elected to attach draft capital to their star guard (highly unlikely), that would signal desperation. A move like that, after nearly eight seasons with the team, would mean that Young's presence on the team was actively hurting the morale.

The uncomfortable truth that many don't want to accept is that Young's teammates love him. National media has tried creating false narratives regarding his leadership since he first stepped foot in Atlanta. The on-court performance is the true initiator of these talks. The Hawks want to win, and so does Trae.

General Manager Onsi Saleh has made it clear that he's open to anything. Yes, even moving one of the most accomplished players in franchise history.

He made a clear statement by not extending Young this past offseason when he became eligible. It was set in stone: Young had to perform well with this new group to earn his next payday.

Well, Young and his camp have signaled to the Hawks that they're ready for a fresh start, and we've yet to see a legitimate sample size of him with this new-look roster.

A roster that was built around his strengths and weaknesses. Odd.

That said, a midseason trade seems to be fully dependent on how desperate Young's camp is to land him in a new situation. They could be set on it, or they could simply prefer he gets moved. Again, a major difference that will end up determining when, or even if, Young parts ways with the organization.

The 2026 trade deadline is exactly one month away. It's possible that Young has played his last game as a Hawk, but the combination of his low trade value and lack of urgency for a move could result in him playing out the rest of the season.