Rival executives believe Trae Young could be the next star player to make a trade request if the Hawks don’t “make inroads” in the playoffs, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2020/21 as the No. 5 seed, Atlanta was eliminated by Miami in the first round of last year’s playoffs as the No. 8 seed. Haynes writes that Young encouraged Atlanta’s front office to deal for guard Dejounte Murray in the offseason, but their partnership has been a little shaky thus far, with the Hawks currently sitting with a 16-16 record, the No. 9 seed in the East.
Young is under contract through at least 2025/26 (he has a player option in ’26/27) after signing a maximum-salary rookie scale extension in the 2021 offseason, so he seemingly wouldn’t have much leverage if he does request a trade down the line. It also wouldn’t exactly be a good look from an optics standpoint considering he pushed for the Murray acquisition.
The Hawks recently made a major change to the top of their basketball operations department, with former president Travis Schlenk moving into a role as a senior advisor, and GM Landry Fields taking his place as the head of basketball operations. A source tells Haynes that Fields meets with the team’s star point guard regularly and the two have a “great relationship.”
Rival teams are keeping a close eye on Atlanta’s situation, particularly with the rumored tension between Young and head coach Nate McMillan. Haynes states that Fields has ownership’s green light to upgrade the roster, but thus far hasn’t found any takers for forward John Collins.
Here’s more from Haynes:
- Another star player rival executives believe could request a trade in the offseason is DeMar DeRozan, who will earn $28.6MM next season in the final year of his contract. Like the Hawks, the Bulls have dealt with their own on-court dysfunction, currently sitting with a 13-18 record, the No. 11 seed in the East. The Bulls were the No. 6 seed last season after finishing 46-36 (they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Milwaukee), so they’d have to go 33-18 the rest of the way to just to match that mark, which seems improbable at the moment. Haynes says that playing on an expiring deal is a “non-starter for most high-caliber players” and suggests that DeRozan is likely to seek an extension or ask out if the Bulls don’t improve. However, he did just enter free agency in the 2021 offseason after playing on an expiring contract with San Antonio, and was notoriously loyal with Toronto, so it’s unclear if this is report is just speculation from Haynes (and rival teams) or something the five-time All-Star is actually considering.
- League sources tell Haynes that Jordan Clarkson and his agents are engaged in contract extension talks with the Jazz. However, Haynes says it’s not a lock that a new deal gets signed and Clarkson might enter free agency instead, which would require him to turn down his $14.3MM player option for ’23/24. A couple of reporters wrote last month that Clarkson was more likely to be extended than traded by the Jazz.
- The Mavericks haven’t made Christian Wood available in trade talks, but according to Haynes, some rival teams think that might change soon. Haynes notes that Wood is playing on a $14.3MM expiring deal and is eligible for a four-year, $77MM extension in a couple days, but his fit in Dallas hasn’t been what either side was hoping for. Wood’s points, rebounds and minutes are down from the past couple seasons, and he has only started four of 29 games, with head coach Jason Kidd citing defensive concerns as the reason for the big man’s somewhat reduced role.
- Justise Winslow suffered a left ankle injury in Wednesday’s loss to the Thunder and is expected to undergo an MRI, sources tell Haynes. The Trail Blazers forward is an unrestricted free agent in 2023 and is a rotation regular for Portland. On the bright side, Blazers guard Gary Payton II hopes to make his season debut next week, per Haynes, which is in line with a report last week from Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Trae is charmin soft and the fans are starting to turn on him. Not a recipe for a successful long term relationship with the city. He got Lloyd fired, Travis fired, soon Nate, tried to run JC out of town…but it’s everybody else’s fault. Longer this goes on, the lower his values gonna be. Just like Simmons in Philly, this is gonna end badly.
If Trae legit wants to get traded it’s an easy one. Not a playoff contender, but shipping Trae back home to OKC would by far net the biggest package.
OKC has an absolute war chest of draft picks in addition to SGA to get a deal done. OKC would be HIGHLY motivated to do a deal for Trae.
OKC is better off without Trae. Me first, no D, Diva.
Yeah I’d take Shai over Trae any day
Picks yeah but no chance SGA gets moved for Trae
100%
Crowder, shamet and a 2nd for wood
I been watching c wood for years now and even I could of told you he wasn’t a winning type basketball player. just stat padding on bad teams.
His on/off split this year is not bad, I believe, even though you aren’t wrong about this being the case in past seasons.
Hawks send Trae, J Holiday to the Bulls for Demar, Pat, and Coby. Probably some picks involved. On paper, this year, the Hawks get better. Going forward definitely favors the Bulls. Trae is about to sink his value, if the Hawks are not careful they end up with a package like the Nets got for Harden.
I’d love to see the Mavs get Valanciunas and OG I think they’d be nice fits on the roster alongside Luka.
Wood and a first for Jonas.
Dinwiddie, DSF and a pick for OG.
Not sure if that gets it done but think the Mavs need to shake things up.
Why would the pels want c wood ? Maybe the raps can trade 1st & OG for JV. That seems fair.
That’s an overpay for Valanciunas and not enough for OG. Wood for Valanciunas straight up and minimum 3 1sts with Dinwiddie for Anunoby.
Why would the pels want wood ? He’s a defensive liability & doesn’t play winning basketball.
If I were ATL’s FOC, TY wouldn’t have to ask twice for a trade. I’d just ask him him to point out who wants him. I’d end those “take a front office guy to lunch” days too.
Trae really is a defensive weakness. Steph Curry has worked hard at it. Mitchell has too worked at it. I feel sorry for Murray and Nate. Atlanta has to shake it up with a trade. Only one team can win the NBA title without a trade Atlanta will not.
I might be wrong but I think the media is just trying to portray Trae and this young cancer for the team. From the comparisons with Luka after the trade, then celebrating him with the playoff run, and now hating him again once when the results aren’t happening.
As I’ve said I think they need a real vet. I seen someone say on my previous comment they have Bojan, John and Capela. John is 25 he might not have even hit his prime and you are calling him a vet. Bojan has only been in America for 5/6 years, yes he’s older but he’s not a team leading vet. Then lastly Capela again he isn’t that leader he’s a role player.
The vet I mean is someone who leads the locker room, holds players accountable, settles little issues, with heaps of years of experience. Most teams in the NBA don’t have a true vet, but most the top teams do, like Iggy in GSW, like UD in Miami, Horford in Boston, George Hill in Milwaukee, Dudley on the Lakers when they won. Look at guys like Rondo, Millsap, Ariza, LA, Favours, Dwight, Melo, Monroe. Yes they might not be able to give you a good 15 per night but in terms of locker room impact, teaching the young guys, creating culture they provide so much. And yes they can give you minutes even now and then.
Imagine if Trae could have Rondo in the locker room, a point guard that’s won a title, played on a bunch of teams, knows how to win, what a winning team looks like and how they act. Not only that but in trainings could get him to look and things differently, try new things, etc. Rondo would be a great fit for ATL.
I really hope all this media stuff ain’t true and that Trae proves everyone wrong. Remember when Jimmy Butler was the locker room cancer and everyone hated him now he’s loved in Miami
You are wrong
Jimmy and Ty 2 different animals
They already had Rondo and it didn’t work. Traded him for Lou Williams.
TY did have Rondo in the locker room, and, in a few months, Rondo wanted out. So, you need to re-imagine it consistent with that.
Butler is a bad comp. He and TY would be on opposite sides of the locker room. TY was drafted into a tanking culture and became a tanking baby, and those guys continually have issues with teammates. Bulter grew up in a winning culture, and has generally been well liked by this teammates, with the exception of a few tanking babies (Wiggins / Simmons) and their tanking HC (Brown) – all of which were about, in their mind, showing them up for their losing ways (nothing more).
Not the fault of the media – they’re simply reporting what they, and everyone sees/has seen. Talented as he may be, he’s not above the team. He needs to improve his defense and work on it. He needs to take accountability rather than take the easy way out and request a trade if he truly believes he has that type of influence and talent. If he asked to get Murray, and the team did, then what’s his next excuse? I would understand if the situation was similar to the one in Chicago, but it isn’t.
Ship this dude the F#%^ out ATl
Like the bones on the house here but it needs a new paint job
The problem in Atlanta is their lack of true, quality depth on the bottom thirs of their roster, and that problem is only made worse by the fact they constantly have key cogs out injured.
On paper, they have one of the most talented top 7 player combos in the league with Trey, Murray, Bogdanovic, Hunter, Collins, Capela, and Okongwu.
Heck, even Aj Griffin is a solid bench piece, but after that is a bunch of end of the roster types..
They should gel together really well when they’re all healthy, and combine to make a very formidable offensive and defensive team. The problem is that they’re very rarely ever all healthy at the same time..
Plus, this year they’ve also just seemed like they’re going through the motions. There isn’t any real consistent passion or fire from this team, and that has to be on the team’s leaders and their HC.
They better get it together and shape up; otherwise, you’re going to see some people get shipped out!!
They make no effort on defense, it’s embarrassing. The FO and coaches have exhausted every option to get them to try. At this point, you either trade the entire roster or just Fire the coach and hire one that doesn’t care about defense. Like Mike D. But they’ll never win a championship that way and he’d be fired in 3 years…