Last weekend, Trae Young made an appearance on the Club 520 Podcast, where he floated around the idea of exploring his endorsement options when he becomes a free agent next offseason.
While he didn't go as far as to confirm this breakup, his remarks in this interview hinted that he may be looking for other opportunities elsewhere. Around the 50-minute mark, Trae Young talks about his indifference to the Jordan brand, saying that he "has to see what deals come across the table" when he enters into free agency next summer.
This was just a brief segment in the Club 520 Podcast interview with Trae Young. However, he still provided us with a lot of information that suggests his dissatisfaction with his Jordan deal has been valued, touching on the importance of being compensated fairly, being respected and recognized, and being treated as a focal point of the brand, rather than just a spokesperson for it.
So what offers could be waiting if Trae Young does decide to enter free agency?
There are multiple avenues that Trae Young could go down if he does end up cutting ties with Jordan brand. For starters, he could stick with Nike, just without the affiliation to Jordan brand, though Nike may be hesitant to offer this deal, and Young may be hesitant to accept, given his compensation frustrations with a company that's being run under Nike.
Other popular avenues for Trae Young could be Under Armour or Anta, two very well-established shoe brands in the NBA world. However, his most promising offer could be one that people haven't associated with the NBA until recently. Over the last couple of seasons, Puma has been quietly making their mark in the NBA world, signing notable athletes like LaMelo Ball and DeAndre Ayton to long-term deals.
Trae Young would be the perfect athlete to bring in for Puma. One that's already been well-established as a popular face in this league, who offers more star power than their current athletes under contract. Not only would this allow Trae Young to be a focal point of a brand, it would also give Puma an incentive to compensate him fairly.
With the public image Trae Young has already established, if he were to exit from his deal with Jordan brand, Puma would have a golden opportunity to sign one of the league's most prominent figures, and they've shown that they're no strangers to giving their athletes what they deserve. With LaMelo Ball currently on a 10-year, $100 million contract, adequate compensation would be the least of Trae Young's worries if he were to sign with them.
This upcoming season will have major implications for Trae Young, both on and off the court. As he finishes up the final year of his NBA contract, this season will be pivotal for Young to prove his worth, not only in the eyes of NBA GMs, but also in the eyes of brand ambassadors looking to sign their newest star.