Trae Young trade rumors have been flying as of late, as the team is reportedly open to discussions around him. Amid struggles in what was supposed to be a competitive season, the Atlanta Hawks have grown increasingly explorative with their most expensive player. But some believe this could all just be smoke and mirrors.
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One of those people is former three-time champion Stacey King. In fact, he believes that the Hawks will not trade Young. Mostly because he knows that the ownership loves his game and what he brings to the table.
“Newsflash, the owner loves him. He’s not going anywhere,” King said on his Gimme The Hot Sauce Podcast. “When the owner loves you, and the owner’s son loves you, Trae’s not going anywhere.”
There’s no question that the Hawks’ owner, Tony Ressler, has genuinely liked Young as a player over the past 8 years he’s been with the team. He’s been a valuable marketing asset who has put fans in the stands. Not to mention, in the 2021 NBA playoffs, he brought them as far as the Eastern Conference Finals.
However, with other young players improving lately, Hawks fans have wondered if Young would be better off being used as a trade asset to acquire more resources.
“The problem right now is other young players like Jalen Johnson have ascended. Risacher is much better than what he was. Kristaps Porzingis is there, but he’s been hurt,” King pointed out. “He’s still a player you would like to see how well he meshes with Trae Young. I think they’ve only played minimal games this year between the two of them.”
Young and Porzingis have played just three games together since teaming up this season. The former dealt with an MCL sprain that kept him out for two months, while the latter has been dealing with an illness called POTS. In theory, together on the court, they would make a great tandem. But we just haven’t gotten to see much of it yet.
Meanwhile, Johnson is having an outstanding All-Star-like campaign so far. Averaging 24 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game, the do-it-all forward has turned into a nightly triple-double threat. His ascension is truly what’s brought on the Young trade talks. It feels like the Hawks should shift their focus to building the team around him.
At the same time, though, Young is still a phenomenal player. He’s averaged double-digit assists per game for the last three seasons and has turned into one of the best passers in the NBA. Ultimately, this aspect of his game is what impresses King the most.
“I think over the last couple of years, he’s become a leader on that team. He’s always going to be up there in assists. He’s a willing passer… I think my biggest concern with him, just from an outsider looking in, is his shot selection. Especially when the game is on the line,” King shared.
Shot selection is certainly what Young has struggled with the most throughout his career. He’s never eclipsed 40% shooting from three-point range, and this year is down to a career low 30%. This would be okay if he weren’t shooting six threes per game, but he is, and it’s becoming detrimental to the team.
All in all, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Hawks move on from Young this season. Especially if they continue to struggle, needy teams will come in with offers that may tempt them to trade him. It’s well within the range of outcomes.
But with an expensive contract that he’s on the back end of, Atlanta may see it more valuable to keep Young and play out the rest of his deal. After all, he is an All-Star-level talent when healthy. It may be more worth it to keep him and see if they can compete in the weaker Eastern Conference rather than send themselves into a rebuild.
