It may finally be time for the Atlanta Hawks and Trae Young to go their separate ways.
Following back-to-back losses to the Orlando Magic and Miami Heat in the playing tournament, the Hawks have failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season.
This comes after making the playoffs three straight seasons following a five-year drought. Surely, neither side wants to endure a similar phase for the next three years, potentially tying their previous mark,
Reaching another level with the current group soon enough seems unlikely at this point.
Part of the issue is Hawks ownership’s reluctance to pay into the luxury tax, though spending before becoming a top-tier team is not the way to go either.
The other part is that Young is extension-eligible this offseason. And if that was not enough, he also has a player option for the 2026-27 season, meaning he can be an unrestricted free agent after next year.
The Hawks made strides this past season, winning four more games than they did in 2023-24.
That is a notable feat considering the youth on the roster and their trades before and during the season.
However, the Hawks remain undermanned and – at least recently – injury prone. Meanwhile, Young has openly stated his desire to win significantly right now. To that end, he has expressed confidence in the current group and what they are building for the future after the loss.
He also called this season a “failure” and pointed to next season hopefully as a time to compete.
“I think going into next year, seeing where we’re at what, what the focus needs to be, that will be the where I where I know I need to focus on on certain things. I think this year, I knew we had young guys, you know what I’m saying?,” Young told reporters on April 18. “The goal is to always win, of course. But when you have the type of team that we’ve had, you know it’s going to be bumps and bruises throughout the season.”
“You can’t get caught up in the wins and losses. And so that’s not easy for me, but that’s something I’ve had to do this year. And, hopefully, next year I can focus more on the wins and losses.”
That must be encouraging for the Hawks, who will undoubtedly face questions about their plans for the four-time All-Star who is entering Year 4 of a five-year, $215.1 million contract.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks called the situation the Hawks’ “top” priority.
“Pick a direction with Young’s future. The four-time All-Star has been the face of the organization since he was drafted in 2018. But Atlanta is facing a decision on whether to commit to the guard. He is eligible to sign a four-year, $229 million extension up until next June 30 or a five-year, $345 million super max extension if he is named All-NBA this season. If an extension is not reached, Young could become a free agent next summer but only if he declines the $49 million player option in 2026-27.
“The positives of Young sharing the basketball were met with a less-than-efficient shooting season.”
Young also led the league in total turnovers for the third time. The Hawks reportedly discussed trading Young, who was ineffective in the 2022 playoffs and undermanned in 2023. It was both in '24
Finances and fit have to weigh heavily for both sides. The Hawks’ young corps, featuring wings Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher, may be better served getting time to develop as primary options rather than the secondary and tertiary options they are with Young around.
The Hawks must also address Dyson Daniels’ contract situation. He is set for restricted free agency this offseason.
This team will become expensive very fast if the Hawks are not proactive.
That does not mean that they must trade Young, who has not requested a trade publicly, and again it has emphasized his belief in what the Hawks young corps can do. But the results over the past few years are what they are.
Young is still 26 years old. But this Hawks team could still be a couple of years away from true contention, even in a watered-down Eastern Conference