5 best potential landing spots for Trae Young if traded by the Hawks

Honorable mentions: Teams just missed the cut as top potential landing spots for Hawks' Trae Young

Phoenix Suns: Pairing Young with two other offensive dynamos – a trade would presumably mean one of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, or Bradley Beal is traded – might seem counter-intuitive.

However Young fits with any two of the three, while Suns owner Matt Ishbia has shown a willingness to throw convection out the window.

Their limited assets make them the longest of shots without other transactions.

The Suns have just two draft picks that can be traded, and that is only if they wait until draft night when they can move this year’s pick (No. 22 overall) after selecting and their 2031 first-rounder. That likely keeps them out of the running before they could even get in.

New Orleans Pelicans: They roster the best potential centerpiece among this group, with Brandon Ingram mired in trade rumors of his own this offseason. For Young, Zion Williamson makes for a dynamic partner that would be a load for opponents to solve.

Williamson’s injury history is the clearest drawback to this potential landing spot. 

The Pelicans have ample draft capital to offer in a potential package as well. But they have not fared much better than the Hawks as a playoff threat.

They have just two postseason appearances in the last five years. That baked-in injury risk and the Pelicans’ track record only underscore that going from Atlanta (No. 7) to New Orleans (No. 51) would be a significant step down in markets.