‘It’s Time To See What’s Possible When The Support Is Real’: Trae Young Breaks Silence On Atlanta Hawks Trading Him To Washington Wizards
NBA star Trae Young released a statement on X about the Atlanta Hawks trading him to the Washington Wizards.
Young was traded to the Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
“Never thought I’d be typing this,” Young wrote. “The last few years weren’t how I wanted them to be. Expectations that we created for ourselves, reaching heights that Atlanta has never reached before. Bringing a championship to Atlanta was always my goal. However, between the injuries, the setbacks, and situations that didn’t make sense, we never truly got to see our full potential.
“The city that raised me and taught me so much will always be a chapter in this story. However, the pain of staying the same eventually outweighed the uncertainty of change. Change is often met with fear, but I see it as another opportunity. I’m walking into this next chapter ecstatic, with my head high and my eyes forward. It’s time to see what’s possible when the support is real and the vision is clear. We move.”
Young is making $45.9 million this season. The Oklahoma product can become an unrestricted free agent next offseason by declining his 2026-27 player option worth $48.9 million.
Extension talks between Young and the Hawks never progressed and Atlanta gathered intel about Young’s marketplace dating back to this past offseason.
A four-time All-Star, Young is averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists per game this season while shooting 41.5% from the field, 30.5% from beyond the arc and 86.3% from the free-throw line. The Hawks were only 2-8 with him in the lineup.
The 27-year-old Young has career averages of 25.2 points and 9.8 assists per game. He doesn’t have a no-trade clause in his contract, but the Hawks wanted to send him somewhere he wanted to be.
Washington is 28th in the NBA in attendance. Young is one of the most exciting players to watch in the league, so the Wizards could see an increase in attendance with the talented scorer and passer in the fold.
Young led Atlanta to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, a series the Milwaukee Bucks won. The Hawks haven’t won a playoff series since then.
Meanwhile, the Wizards haven’t been to the playoffs since 2021. They are in deep rebuild mode, but that rebuild has now been accelerated a bit after acquiring Young.
Latest NBA News & Rumors
- NBA News: Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Dončić Reacts To Trae Young Being Traded To Washington Wizards From Atlanta Hawks
- NBA News: Giannis Antetokounmpo Says He Will Never Request Trade From Milwaukee Bucks
- NBA Rumors: Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento Kings, Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards Interested In Trading For Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga
