While the entire world was busy celebrating Mother’s Day, a storm of speculation surrounded the NBA. The recent endeavors of Trae Young to cherish the memorable occasion seemed to have clouded his future in the league. Over time, several identified this as his inclination toward joining the San Antonio Spurs as the new point guard to Victor Wembanyama.
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A recent Instagram story from Young created this buzz around the NBA. He publicly shared a childhood picture of himself standing by his mother to celebrate the occasion. In the image, the 25-year-old was presumably wearing an older edition of the Spurs jersey, garnering the fans’ attention.
A Spurs fan account, Spurs Culture, pointed out precisely that on X (formerly Twitter). They shared a screenshot of the story, with the caption, “Trae Young’s IG story…Peep that jersey“.
Trae Young's IG story
Peep that jersey pic.twitter.com/BxuUHgqhcJ
— Spurs Culture (@SpursCulture) May 13, 2024
This resulted in speculations amongst the viewers surrounding his future with the Atlanta Hawks. Several pointed out how it was a direct display of Young’s interest in representing the Spurs in the future. One of those supporters even wrote, “All the pictures of him and his mom and he chooses the one of him in a Spurs jersey he aint slick”.
All the pictures of him and his mom and he chooses the one of him in a Spurs jersey he aint slick 💀 https://t.co/lX6QvyLKhy
— Himbanyama🔑 (@KingKe3_) May 12, 2024
Another extended on a similar narrative, claiming, “Yessir he’s a Spur”.
Yessir he’s a Spur
— keep it 100 (@0casualzz) May 13, 2024
One supporter uploaded a GIF of the Spurs legends, Tim Duncan and Tony Parker first bumping each other to showcase his excitement.
— Kilomatrix (@HugoSephora) May 13, 2024
Amidst excitement from the fans, the franchise reportedly remains in no rush to sign Young at this stage. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski pointed it out recently, stating, “The Spurs want to find their PG of the future to pair with Wembanyama, but they don’t have to do it all at once. They’ve got potentially two lottery picks in this draft and potentially four in a 2025 class that’s loaded”.
"The Spurs want to find their PG of the future to pair with Wembanyama, but they don't have to do it all at once. They've got potentially two lottery picks in this draft and potentially four in a 2025 class that's loaded." pic.twitter.com/TI9t0F3Jmn
— Josh Paredes (@Josh810) May 12, 2024
Thus, as things stand, they may take their time, probably at least two more seasons, before making a move for Young. After all, the franchise’s culture remains dependent on drafting high-potential talents and turning them into superstars. They have rarely looked elsewhere to strengthen their roster, displaying immense trust in their programs.
That said, an immediate inclusion of Young to the team could provide them with much-needed experience to run the backcourt. Additionally, the 3x All-Star was one of the only two players in this regular season to average at least 20 points and 10 assists per game. So, the interest from the fanbase remains justified, putting pressure on the franchise’s shoulders.
Will the San Antonio Spurs make a move for Trae Young?
At the moment, the Spurs hold the upper hand in a potential negotiation with the Hawks. From this point forward, they have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Forbes’ Evan Sidery hinted at that with his recent post on X, stating the following:
“Armed with two lottery picks (Nos. 4 + 8), plus control of Atlanta’s drafts 2025-2027, San Antonio presents them a real opportunity to reset. Young to San Antonio with Atlanta securing three lottery selections and control of their own picks again could be a major win-win for both organizations”.
The Spurs, who are expected to show interest in Trae Young if made available this offseason, now have an extremely enticing package to potentially offer the Hawks.
Armed with two lottery picks (Nos. 4 + 8), plus control of Atlanta’s drafts 2025-2027, San Antonio presents them a… pic.twitter.com/OSigMJvJOQ
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) May 12, 2024
Although, this remains quite unlikely to happen at this stage. This adds further volume to the ongoing speculation, marking an exciting initiation of the off-season.