Former Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young recently appeared on The Baller Alert Show and was asked about the possibility of eventually returning to the franchise. His answer was simple: “You never know.”
But let's pump the brakes.
Those three words will naturally generate attention considering everything Young accomplished in Atlanta. However, there has been no reporting suggesting a reunion could be a possibility, and Young's focus remains on his current situation with the Washington Wizards.
The more interesting question isn't whether Young would return. It's whether the Hawks, after reshaping their identity without him, would ever want to reopen that chapter.
Atlanta has changed considerably since trading Young
Young will always have a significant connection to Atlanta, but the Hawks didn't trade their longtime point guard without reason. The move allowed Atlanta to begin constructing a roster with a different identity.
The Hawks have since emphasized defense, physicality and two-way versatility. Dyson Daniels, Lu Dort, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dorian Finney-Smith give Atlanta defensive options across the floor, while Jalen Johnson has emerged as the franchise centerpiece.
Atlanta also drafted Kingston Flemings with the expectation that he can eventually become its long-term answer at point guard. That doesn't completely eliminate the possibility of Young ever returning, but it makes the basketball fit more complicated than nostalgia might suggest.
A reunion would have to make sense within whatever version of the Hawks exists then. Bringing Young back simply because of his history with Atlanta wouldn't be enough, especially if doing so interfered with the development of Flemings or required the organization to alter the roster philosophy it has spent time establishing.
Young's comment matters more emotionally than practically
There is still something meaningful about Young refusing to completely shut down the possibility. Star players don't always leave organizations with a willingness to entertain returning, and his response suggests the door isn't necessarily locked from his perspective.
We've also seen NBA stars return to former teams after circumstances changed. Relationships and rosters change, making previously unrealistic opportunities possible.
But that's exactly how Atlanta should treat Young's comments: as an interesting possibility for the distant future rather than evidence of something developing now. There is a massive difference between Young saying “you never know” and the Hawks actually considering another run with him.
If anything, his answer creates a fascinating hypothetical because Atlanta's side of the equation is much harder to predict. The Hawks traded Young and have since committed to building around Johnson while creating a pathway for Flemings to develop.
Maybe circumstances eventually change enough for both sides to reconsider. Young clearly isn't willing to rule it out, but Atlanta would have to decide whether revisiting its past would actually improve its future.
That's what makes his comments interesting. Young left the door open, but there's no guarantee the Hawks would walk through it.
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