The Hawks are actively discussing Tree Young’s trade avenues with nothing imminent

Trae Youngtime is with Atlanta Hawks seems to be coming to an end. After they were distant during off-season discussions regarding a potential contract extensionYoung and his camp have been actively discussing the potential of trade avenues to move the four-time All-Star guard before Feb. 5 NBA trade deadlineleague sources told ClutchPoints on Monday.

The writing was on the wall regarding Young’s future in Atlanta, given the impasse in contract negotiations and the emergence Jalen Johnsonin the construction of which the Hawks are fully invested for the foreseeable future as the cornerstone of the franchise.

This developing story of Young and the Hawks starts discussions about a potential trade, which has been first time reported from ESPN, is the latest trade story to rock the NBA landscape, as trade dialogue between the star guard, his camp and Atlanta’s front office, led by first-year GM Onsi Saleh, began just before the calendar flipped to 2026.

With just four weeks left until the NBA trade deadline, the Hawks are now actively working with Young and his camp with the mutual goal of finding a destination where the 27-year-old can immediately receive a new contract extension, sources said. Up to this point, trade talks with rival teams have been minimal, and the Hawks are nowhere close to finalizing any deal involving Young.

Atlanta is open to any avenues that come up, while also understanding what Young and his team want. The Hawks point guard is making roughly $46 million this season and has nearly $49 million in cap space for 2026-27. All indications are that Young will pick up his option, leading to obvious complications in a potential trade.

While Young has proven to be an elite shot creator in Atlanta over the years, leading the league in assists during the 2024-25 season, there isn’t much demand for the 6-foot-2 guard, especially given concerns about his defensive skills.

Despite this understanding and its limitations in defense, Washington Wizards originated as a a potential suitor for Young on Monday, as first reported by longtime NBA insider Marc Stein. The main point of these discussions was around the possibility of substitution involving CJ McCollumwho is in the final year of his contract making $30.6 million for Young.

Such a move would require the Wizards to include an additional $6.8 million in salary cap space to absorb Young’s contract.

However, the Wizards have signaled they are not interested in sacrificing any young assets in a youth trade, league sources said. Including young talent in a deal for Young is something the Hawks want, especially given Washington’s request that Atlanta include draft compensation.

Tree Young’s future in Atlanta with limited trade suitors

The two teams recently discussed a trade for McCollum and Young, a deal that would immediately open up financial flexibility for the Hawks in the offseason. The Wizards have made it clear they’ll need additional draft value from the Hawks if they want to facilitate such a trade, prompting Atlanta’s rebuttal to include one of Washington’s recent draft picks.

This group of players the Hawks have likely discussed, but which both sides have not confirmed to ClutchPoints, likely includes Bilal Koulibaly, Keyshawn George and Tre Johnson.

The Wizards are also said to be evaluating their position and immediate future if such a trade move for Young is made. McCollum has been a leading voice since arriving in the summer, primarily for Johnson, the team’s sixth overall pick just over six months ago.

As a result, these initial talks between the Hawks and Wizards have not reached the point where a trade is imminent. There is still plenty of time for Atlanta and Washington to work out the details of such a move with the trade deadline weeks away. The Hawks will continue to look for other avenues between now and then.

Overall, Young’s value is at a point where the Hawks are no longer in the driver’s seat to dictate the terms of such a trade, which is why, if the organization really wants to part with him before the deadline, any team that trades for him will have an advantage.

A number of teams previously mentioned as possible suitors for Young are not interested, including the Sacramento Kingsaccording to The Athletic’s Sam Amick. The Brooklyn Nets and Houston Rockets, two other teams that have been in rumors linked to Young for years, are not interested in buying the star point guard, sources said.

With that said, Brooklyn remains open to facilitating any potential deals where rival teams seek out a third organization for potential salary-shedding moves. The Nets and GM Sean Marks are always willing to listen and be involved in potential trades for draft picks, which could open the door for them to be involved in a potential trade for Young or another similar deal before this year’s trade deadline.

Without Young on the court this season, the Hawks posted a 15-13 recordincluding Monday night’s 118-100 loss to the Toronto Raptors. With him, the Hawks have gone 2-8 and are giving up an average of over 126 points per game to their opponents, a difference of about nine points compared to when Young is not on the floor.

The Hawks are 17-21 overall this season.

Young, who missed about seven weeks earlier this season as a result of a right MCL sprainhas missed five straight games for the Hawks with a right quad strain. While he’s currently dealing with this quad injury, there’s still a chance Young can return to the court and play for Atlanta before the deadline.

In 10 games this season, all of which he has started, Young is averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists per game while shooting 41.5 percent from the floor and 30.5 percent from 3-point range.

Between now and the trade deadline, the Hawks, Young and his front office will continue to explore the market for the All-Star guard, and the Wizards appear to be the clear favorites early in the process.