The Atlanta Hawks have shown no signs of wanting to trade Trae Young, but his name remains a source of intrigue in league circles. The latest comes from The Athletic’s Sam Amick, who mentioned the four-time All-Star concerning the Sacramento Kings’ search for a point guard.
Amick noted little interest in that route, though he did not specify from which side.
He also suggested attaching draft picks could help, but again, without clarifying from (or to) whom, though logic would suggest it is the Hawks.
“I do have indications that they are looking at a lot. I don’t know how much they’re going to overhaul the roster, but I think they’re looking at big stuff. I think they're looking at small stuff. The point guard pursuit is very real. I don’t know where they will land on that front,” Amick said on “Sactown Sports 1140” on June 18.
“If you go younger, there are a lot of Trae Young rumors. My understanding is that’s – there’s not interest there, unless it came attached to a bunch of first-round picks. So, I don’t know on the point guard side of things what the outcome is going to be.”
Young is effectively on an expiring contract.
He is entering Year 3 of a five-year, $215.1 million contract but has a player option for the 2026-27 season.
He is also extension-eligible this offseason, and his $229 million max number could be too rich for Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh to justify at this stage of the team’s buildout. How those discussions go could determine how seriously the Hawks consider moving him.
Hawks and Kings have worked out a trade before
Atlanta sent swingman Kevin Huerter to Sacramento in 2022, following the Hawks’ trade for Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs.
Both teams have changed leadership since then, though. A deal this time would feature even more moving parts, considering the return for Young would be considerably greater than what the Hawks received for Huerter: a protected first-round pick and cap filler.
For his part, Young has not indicated he wants a trade either.
He posted a message to the city of Atlanta that last season would be the “Last I won’t be in the postseason!” in April.
There remains outside intrigue about whether or not the Hawks would actually part with Young this offseason. If Amick’s intel is on point, we may now know just what it would take for the Hawks to part with the face of the franchise.