Trae Young is never shy about voicing his opinion, and one take following the results of the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery certainly caught the Atlanta Hawks star’s attention.
This one did not involve the Hawks, but was for all the wrong reasons. It highlighted a situation they are familiar with. The Dallas Mavericks won the draft lottery and, presumably, the rights to Cooper Flagg.
Former NBA player Jay Williams, now an ESPN analyst, believes they should trade the pick.
“The yearly Jay Will terrible draft take,” Young posted on X on May 13, along with a laughing emoji. “Never gets old.”
Trae Young calls out ESPN Analyst's 'terrible take'
Fellow panelist Alan Hahn called out Williams – who was take too
“For a guy like Cooper Flagg, I think he needs reps. I think he needs a lot of room to grow. I’m not sure a championship aspiration is right away from him. Now, look, the basketball part of me loves the thought of AD [Anthony Davis], Cooper Flagg, Dereck Liveley II in the [front]court, right?” Williams said on “Get Up” on May 13.
“When I look at the value, could you potentially package something like this to get a Giannis [Antetokounmpo]? Could you package, on a 1-on-1 trade, to get a Devin Booker? Could you get a Tyrese Maxey, if your championship window is in two to three years? Could you utilize that pick and some assets to get somebody who’s ready to contribute to you right now with the pressure in the West [Conference].”
Could you see the Mavs trading the No. 1 pick for Giannis? 👀 pic.twitter.com/nmXWxEo6Gv
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 13, 2025
Notably, the Hawks were in a similar spot in 2024, falling up into the No. 1 pick, which they used on Zaccharie Risacher.
Risacher finished second in Rookie of the Year voting after starting all but two games in 2024-25, showcasing his advanced IQ and feel for the game while playing alongside a four-time All-Star in Trae Young, and rising stars in Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson (before his injury).
Granted, the Mavericks’ star power is far greater than what the Hawks boast.
However, letting a rookie fill a role rather than forcing them to star is always beneficial regardless of draft position.
It also must be noted that Davis and co-star Kyrie Irving are both prone to multiple and lengthy injuries. Having a prospect like Flagg not only gives the team a foundational piece for the future, but also one who could step up when those two are forced to sit out.
No two situations are the same.
Predicting that Flagg would not be able to fill in as the likely third option behind Davis and Irving is shortsighted and dismisses the fact that both players have held deferential roles before.