The Atlanta Hawks announced they fired general manager Landry Fields on Monday, adding that they have promoted Onsi Saleh to GM and will begin their search for a new president of basketball operations.
This past regular season, the Hawks have lost their second-best player to a season-ending injury, lost their first-round pick from 2023 to a season-ending injury, changed starting centers, and traded two recent Sixth Man of the Year candidates.
They also introduced the No. 1 overall pick from the 2024 draft into their starting lineup.
The end result of it all a second consecutive missed playoff berth and a regime change. The next step should be a change in the face of the franchise.
That spot has been held by Trae Young for the past seven seasons, ever since the Hawks acquired him in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks that sent Luka Doncic out West. Doncic has since been traded, much to his surprise.
Young has also not openly pushed for a trade and embraced the team’s youth movement this past season.
Still, the time appears ripe for both sides to move on.
Trae Young, Hawks on different timelines
During his season-ending press conference, Young echoed his sentiments from after the Hawks’ playing tournament loss to the Miami Heat. Both were essentially rehashings of remarks Young has made at various points over the past few years.
The four-time All-Star wants to win. He wants to make deep runs in the playoffs, and he wants to do it as soon as possible.
Notably, Young seemingly put next year as a timeline for the Hawks to compete.
They should have a healthy jail in Johnson. No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher will have a year under his belt and another full training camp to develop, and the Hawks can make further tweaks to the roster.
However, the change from Fields clearly indicates further changes could be coming. And that could also mean a change in the direction for the franchise,
The Hawks do not control their first-round pick until 2028.
That all but takes tanking off the table. However, Young will be on his third lead executive, is already on his third head coach, and has seen most of his teammates from that 2021 run to the ECF either traded away or have their roles reduced, as is the case for center Clint Capela.
Young still has two more years on a five-year $215.1 million contract. He is extension-eligible this offseason and can earn up to $229 million.
However, the Hawks will be flirting with the luxury tax with that kind of commitment.
They can make further adjustments, but cost-cutting measures rarely improve teams. Young also has a player option for the 2026-27 season, meaning it could be better to get something done sooner rather than later.
That does not have to be a trade. But if the Hawks’ outlook remains as it has been for the past few years, i.e. middling, it makes sense for both sides to seek a fresh start.
Trae Young should seek trade from Hawks, and they should oblige
Trading Young will not necessarily grant the Hawks the ability to tank.
They would need to get their first-round pick back for that. It can, however, load them with enough draft capital to soften that blow and find a new way forward with their previous vision. A vision built around Johnson and Risacher.
Perhaps Young can complete a contender, surrounded by the kind of All-Star talent he has lacked for much of his career to this point.