Trae Younger has been the Atlanta Hawks’ franchise participant since they acquired him in a draft day commerce for Luka Doncic in 2018. The connection between either side has slowly been souring since they failed to achieve a contract extension final summer time, and now the long-rumored divorce has lastly come to fruition.
The Hawks traded Younger to the Washington Wizards for C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert on Wednesday night time, in keeping with ESPN insider Shams Charania. That’s it. That’s the commerce. The purpose guard is in his prime at age-27 with 4 All-Star nods to his title, however his enormous contract and lingering extension helped depress the market to the purpose that he was traded for less than an expiring wage and a bench shooter. It’s a surprising fall from grace.
There’s already rumors that the Hawks may very well be taking a look at buying and selling for Anthony Davis after this deal. Let’s grade this deal for either side.
Wizards grade for Trae Younger commerce
The Wizards’ curiosity in Younger makes a number of sense. For one, Travis Schlenk, the previous Atlanta GM who introduced Younger to the Hawks, is now working in Washington’s entrance workplace. Past that, it is sensible for Washington to usher in a star shot-creator after drafting so many play-finishers in the course of the begin of their rebuild.
Younger can nonetheless be one of many NBA’s finest engines. Even in a down 12 months this season, he nonetheless ranks within the ninety fifth percentile of offensive EPM. He’s one of many league’s elite passers with an enormous 45.4 p.c help price after main the NBA in that class the final two seasons. He’s by no means been essentially the most environment friendly scorer partly as a result of he’s all the time solely been common as a three-point shooter, however his capturing quantity (10 three-point makes an attempt per 100 possessions) mixed along with his driving and playmaking places a number of stress on opposing defenses.
Washington has a number of younger gamers he may help arrange. Alex Sarr, the No. 2 total choose in 2024, is taking a giant leap this season in his second season and appears like one of many higher younger two-way bigs within the league. Younger ought to have the ability to discover Sarr for lots of simple buckets, and having such a cell large will assist insulate Younger defensively. Rookie No. 5 total choose Tre Johnson is a knockdown off-ball shooter, and Younger will set him up for many threes, too. Kyshawn George and Bilal Coulibaly are additionally valued components of Washington’s younger core as lengthy forwards who needs to be a great match round Younger.
There are after all a number of main points with Younger. He’s one of many smallest gamers within the NBA, one among its worst defenders, and he doesn’t do a lot off the ball offensively. He ranks within the fifth percentile of defensive EPM this season, and simply will get taken out of performs due to his lack of size and power. He’s by no means been a excessive effort defender, both, a lot in order that enjoying Younger nearly instantly compromises a crew on that finish. He’s additionally a particularly on-ball participant who doesn’t have a lot utility with out the rock. Younger’s groups are inclined to tackle his character as a result of he all the time has the ball.
Nonetheless, I like this for the Wizards. You may’t tank ceaselessly, and the 2027 draft doesn’t look adequate to tank for anyway. This shouldn’t smash the Wizards’ 2026 tank, although it’s value noting their first-round choose is top-8 protected, in any other case it goes to the Knicks. Perhaps making a win-now commerce would be the factor that will get the Wizards some extra lottery luck.
Younger is a legit star in his prime. I’m questioning if the shortage of curiosity on the commerce market means he gained’t be signing something near a max extension with Washington. Both method, it is a large expertise addition for the Wizards whereas giving up completely nothing.
Hawks grade for Trae Younger commerce
There isn’t a lot to say in regards to the Hawks’ return. McCollum is an expiring contract, and Kispert is an efficient three-point shooter who doesn’t do an entire lot else.
That is in regards to the Hawks deciding they wished to be out of the Trae Younger enterprise along with his $49 million participant possibility hanging over the crew for subsequent 12 months. The Hawks had been higher with out Younger this season. As he missed 29 video games with a knee damage, the Hawks have posted a -0.3 net-rating with him off the ground, and a -7.8 net-rating with him on the ground. With Jalen Johnson growing into an All-Star in his personal proper and the unprotected Pelicans choose from the Derik Queen commerce giving them a shot at including a high-upside expertise within the 2026 draft, the Hawks merely determined to dump Younger simply to get him off the crew and off their wage cap books.
I get not desirous to pay Younger $50 million and even $40 million per season. This simply doesn’t really feel like an incredible asset play to me, particularly as a result of the Hawks’ halfcourt offense lacks any form of juice. The Hawks bought on Younger on the absolute low level of his worth. It looks as if this transfer will assist open up room for an Anthony Davis deal, which, positive, superb. The Hawks simply have to cross their fingers for some lottery luck with that Pels choose, as a result of changing Younger with Darryn Peterson sounds loads higher than every other possibility.
