Trae Young appreciates greatness. Naturally, the Atlanta Hawks star appreciated the massive trade that saw Luka Doncic go from the Dallas Mavericks in a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis.
There are several other moving parts, including a third team in the Utah Jazz.
Young did not use any words in his reaction; instead, he shared a fitting emoji to summarize the move: a chess piece.
♟️!!
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) February 2, 2025
The bottom line is the Mavericks, by all accounts, have delivered a statement about how they viewed Doncic. In his reporting on the situation, ESPN's Brian Windhorst called it the “ultimate rebuke” and “insult.”
The Mavericks passed on signing Doncic to a five-year, $345 million contract.
For Young, this has to signify what is possible if things are not working, even if the current narrative has painted Doncic as the problem.
Young has faced similar narratives throughout his career, and it has cost him All-Star appearances and perhaps even the opportunity to represent the United States in international competition.
The Mavs had major concerns about moving forward with Luka Doncic due to his constant conditioning issues and the looming commitment of another supermax contract extension this summer, sources told ESPN.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) February 2, 2025
“I heard Trae Young did not make a great case for himself during his previous time in the Team USA program,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the “Hoop Collective” podcast in August 2023. “I also heard at one point a question was presented to Trae Young, something along the lines of, ‘Are you ever gonna go over a bleeping screen?’”
Young has not suggested that he wants to leave the Hawks, and he has altered his game.
He has said that he wants to win, and the Hawks have yet to build a consistent contender around the three-time All-Star.
Trae Young, Hawks on notice after Luka Doncic trade
With Young’s looming contract situation, the Hawks must take notice of how the NBA landscape has shifted as well. A new precedent has been set by the Mavericks. Trading your superstar is not off the table if they are not living up to expectations.
Of course, it has been that way for players for years now.
Teams experience that too, but players of Doncic’s ilk typically hold franchises for ransom before they are traded later in their careers.
Doncic is 25 years old. Young, 26.
Young is in Year 3 of a five-year, $215.1 million contract. He has a player option for the 2026-27 season. This move is a wake-up call for both the Hawks and Young as well as any other stars around the NBA and their teams.
The NBA’s trade deadline is Thursday, February 6. That gives the Hawks less than a week to make a splash in-season or wait until the offseason.