Onsi Saleh makes a statement when Trae Young is made official

The The Atlanta Hawks have officially completed their blockbuster trade friday, sending franchise cornerstone Tree Young to the Washington Wizards in exchange for the veteran guard CJ McCollum and wing Corey Kispert.

After the end of the contract, Hawks general manager Onsi Saleh issued a statement reflecting on Young’s tenure with the franchise. The message was shared publicly by Hawks writer Kevin Chouinard on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“On behalf of the Hawks franchise, I would like to thank Trey for how he has embraced the city of Atlanta and represented the Hawks during his time here, on the court and in the community,” Saleh said. “Over seven seasons, including four All-Star appearances, he has cemented himself as a fan favorite and one of the great players in our franchise history. We wish Tree and his family the best.”

Reports earlier this week indicated that Atlanta and Young began working on a trade on Monday, with momentum building rapidly and a deal forming by Wednesday evening. The transaction ultimately sent Young to his desired destination, ending an eight-year streak that defined a landmark era of Hawks basketball.

Yang also reflected on the move in a lengthy social media post shortly after the trade became official, opening with the line, “I never thought I’d be typing this.” He reflected on the unmet expectations, injuries and setbacks that prevented the group from reaching its notable ceiling, while acknowledging that change became necessary.

“The last few years have not been what I wanted them to be,” Young wrote. “The expectations that were created for us, reaching heights that Atlanta had never reached before. Bringing a championship to Atlanta was always my goal. However, between injuries, setbacks and situations that didn’t make sense, we never got to see our full potential.

The Hawks are officially moving on from the Tree Young era with the Wizards

“However, the pain of staying the same ultimately outweighed the uncertainty of change. Change is often met with fear, but I see it as another opportunity. I enter this next chapter with my head held high and my eyes forward. It’s time to see what’s possible when the support is real and the vision clear. We’re moving.”

Young’s defining moment in the postseason came in 2021, when he led Atlanta to the Eastern Conference Finals, falling two wins short of the NBA Finals in a loss to the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks. The Hawks reached the playoffs in each of the next two seasons, but were eliminated in the first round both times.

Saleh turned his attention to the direction of the franchise after the trade, emphasizing both the impact on the field and future flexibility.

“The addition of CJ McCollum, one of the NBA’s most prolific shooters and a respected veteran, along with an established young veteran in Corey Kispert, will strengthen our team on the court and in the locker room, and we will maintain flexibility for future opportunities to continue building our program,” Saleh said.

Atlanta has also been linked in reports to potential interest in Anthony Davis from the Dallas Mavericks as he evaluates his next steps.

The Hawks (18-21) open a four-game road trip on Friday night with a 9:00 PM ET game against the Denver Nuggets (25-12).