Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks have seldom been at the forefront of NBA fans' and media's minds. Two years ago, they surprised everyone by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, where they ultimately fell to the Milwaukee Bucks.
Many considered their playoff run somewhat deceptive. They eliminated the New York Knicks in the first round, a team that had surprised everyone by making the playoffs. Additionally, the MVP of that famous Sixers series was Ben Simmons for all the wrong reasons.
Reserving judgment was the prudent course of action, as the Hawks have struggled to achieve success since then. They parted ways with head coach Nate McMillan and brought in Quin Snyder. This summer, they finally traded John Collins, a move that had been on the table since the end of that season.
The lack of on-court success appears to be driving their off-court decisions. Ownership seems skeptical of the organization's ability to become a contender in the near future. Consequently, they seem more inclined to shed salary and avoid the luxury tax. If they continue down this path, a complete rebuild may be on the horizon, likely starting with trading Young. Here are four trade scenarios they should consider.
Trae Young to the Miami Heat for Kyle Lowry, young players, and assets
Heat acquire: Trae Young
Hawks acquire: Kyle Lowry (expiring), Caleb Martin, Nikola Jovic, 2027 and 2030 first-round picks, 2026 second-round pick
The 2023 NBA offseason has been in a holding pattern, primarily due to Damian Lillard's trade request to the Miami Heat. The Heat have been reluctant to offer everything they have for Lillard, and the Portland Trail Blazers have been firm in not accepting a below-value offer.
The Heat and the Trail Blazers may reach an agreement, or they may not. In the event of the latter, the Heat could seek an All-Star guard elsewhere, and Young, being nine years younger than Lillard, becomes an attractive option. Acquiring Young would weaken a fellow Eastern Conference team.
Perhaps the Heat are unwilling to part with their best assets for an aging Lillard but would be open to it for Young. A trio of Young, Butler, and Adebayo could dominate the Eastern Conference for several seasons, although concerns about depth might arise. Given the Heat's track record of developing rotation-level players, this concern might be less significant for them than for other franchises. This trade could make sense for both sides.
Trae Young to the Brooklyn Nets for Ben Simmons and more
Nets acquire: Trae Young, De'Andre Hunter, and Clint Capela
Hawks acquire: Ben Simmons, Spencer Dinwiddie (expiring), Royce O'Neale (expiring), Nic Claxton, 2028 and 2029 first-round picks
It would be ironic if Trae Young were traded for Ben Simmons, given the history of the infamous Game 7 pass when Simmons gave up the ball to Matisse Thybulle because Young was waiting under the rim.
The Nets have a clear desire to improve and avoid reverting to a rebuild after their unsuccessful superteam experiment with Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant. They have talented players like Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson whom they want to build around, making Young an attractive target. Simmons' contract makes the financial aspect of this trade work well for both teams.
For the Hawks, acquiring Simmons with only two seasons left on his deal presents a win-win situation. He could either improve and have value as a good player on an expiring contract next season or assist in tanking to secure a higher draft pick. Additionally, the Hawks get younger at center by swapping Capela for Claxton and shed De'Andre Hunter's four-year contract.
For the Nets, a starting lineup of Young, Bridges, Dorian Finney-Smith, Johnson, and Capela is impressive and youthful. It offers time to accumulate draft capital and use these assets to acquire a third star in the future. It might not be the Irving-Harden-Durant trio, but it could potentially take them further than they ever did.
Trae Young to the Los Angeles Clippers for expiring contracts and draft assets
Clippers acquire: Trae Young
Hawks acquire: Robert Covington (expiring), Nicolas Batum (expiring), Marcus Morris (expiring), 2027 and 2029 first-round picks
The Los Angeles Clippers want a point guard. Actually, they need a point guard. They haven't been hiding their desire to fill this void on their roster either but they've also been cautious to take a big swing. They are the only team rumored to be somewhat seriously interested in 33-year-old James Harden but have zero interest in giving up anything other than expiring contracts for him.
This caution makes sense. Harden is getting old, quickly, and is on an expiring contract. He could walk away in the summer of 2024 or demand a long and expensive contract to keep him, which would also likely mean walking away.
Trae Young, on the other hand, is 24-years-old and under contract through 2027. His best years are likely ahead of him, unlike Harden. Young's age and contract could make him a bridge. He could potentially be the missing piece alongside Paul George and Kawhi Leonard and help the Clippers make an NBA Finals run.
When George and Leonard finally get to the end of their careers, Young could remain, and be the piece they build the next core around. He would keep the Clippers competitive, and help them sell tickets for their new and expensive arena.
The Clippers would have to give up what is almost the last of their draft assets, but given the exigent circumstances they face to be a successful team they may not have a choice.
Trae Young to the Oklahoma City Thunder for… a lot (but not Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Chet Holmgren)
Thunder acquire: Trae Young
Hawks acquire: Davis Bertans, Victor Oladipo, Kenrich Williams, David Nwaba, Cason Wallace, Aleksej Pokusevski, 2024 first-round pick (via the Los Angeles Clippers), 2025 top-6 protected first-round pick (via the Philadelphia 76ers), 2027 top-5 protected first-round pick (via the Denver Nuggets), 2030 first-round pick, 2026 and 2028 second-round picks
Sam Presti and the Oklahoma City Thunder have been amassing assets and young talent for three seasons to conclude their post-Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook rebuild. At some point, they will need to cash in these assets, and acquiring Trae Young might be the right move.
While it may seem like the Thunder are giving up numerous draft picks, they are retaining their three best young players: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren, and Josh Giddey. Furthermore, they would still have an extensive collection of draft assets, making it possible to continue enhancing their roster over the next few seasons.
This trade presents a significant package for the Hawks, but it would likely require them to trim their roster, either by releasing players, involving additional teams, or attaching more draft assets to long-term contracts like De'Andre Hunter's and Bogdan Bogdanovic's.
For the Thunder, a core of Young, Gilgeous-Alexander, Giddey, and Holmgren could be one of the most exciting young combinations the league has ever seen.