The real reason the Hawks should regret Trae Young's contract

Trae Young is one of the most polarizing players in the NBA today.

His historic individual numbers have been belied by an inconsistent track record of winning, the latter of which Young has himself acknowledged.

His size has also been a point of contention for detractors, who point out he will always be a target on defense, especially in the playoffs when teams design specific gameplans for series. The Hawks’ experience with that led them to trade for Dejounte Murray in 2022.

Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus believes the Hawks will soon regret Young’s contract.

“While his talent is undeniable, not many teams are interested in an expensive, small (6'1", 164 lbs) point guard who doesn't defend and needs the ball in his hands to be effective,” Pincus wrote on September 6. “In recent years, the trade market has been said to be cold on Young. Atlanta is doing its best to put a winning product around him with diminishing returns.”

Pincus gives the Hawks a “7/10” potential regret with the remaining three years and $138 million of Young’s contract.

With Dejounte Murray gone, Hawks revolve around Trae Young Again

The formula led to their greatest success in recent years, an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2020-21. Still, Young’s name continues to come up in trade rumors, though now it is about why the Hawks have not moved him. 

Despite that, it is a different reason the Hawks should regret Young’s contract. It is the $48.9 million player option he has for the 2026-27 season. 

Young is eligible for a contract extension after the 2024-25 season.

He could put the Hawks over a barrel effectively having one year left on his contract after this coming season. That is also an effective deterrent for potential suitors who may be unsure about Young’s desire to play for them.

That is why they need this retool to take. If it still ultimately does not lead to the team winning big, they might have to adjust their expectations in a potential trade return.

Young has not pushed for a trade and has continued to ingrain himself into the community.

The Hawks can fall back on the ECF run for inspiration that success is possible despite Young’s many perceived warts. As it stands, they are likely “stuck” with him for at least another year before they can even consider getting something close to true value back in a trade.

That is only if they feel it’s necessary after seeing how the team performs in 2024-25. Despite low expectations for this team, the stakes are very high.