The sweepstakes for current Atlanta Hawks All-Star Trae Young continue to rise, but one franchise is believed to be the best suitor for the floor general’s services. On Tuesday, Jan. 6, reports surfaced that Young and coach Quin Snyder’s Atlanta Hawks will work together in finding a team to work out a trade with, as Young and the Hawks have decided to part ways.
Having said this, there are already a plethora of teams that are interested in trading for Young, now that he is officially available. But in an article written by NBA Insiders that was published on TSN, it seems as though coach Brian Keefe’s Washington Wizards may be the team that ends up with Young in their lineup before the 2026 trade deadline.
The Wizards, worth $4.7 billion per Forbes, possess the right assets for the most valuable and feasible return for the Hawks when trading for Young. This is asserted by veteran NBA analyst Bobby Marks, who pointed out that the package for Young will include a 2026 second-round pick via the Hornets, which is projected to be in the top 55 for the Wizards.
In return, the Hawks will get CJ McCollum, Malaki Branham, AJ Johnson, and potentially a 2026 first-round pick through the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. For Marks, this trade would significantly benefit the Hawks as they will get an experienced and solid floor general in return for McCollum, which can be an option for coach Snyder to be the starting point guard night in and night out.
Along with this, the Hawks will get two young assets in Branham and Johnson, as well as the aforementioned potential first-round pick next year, which they can use in either continued trade talks or develop and integrate them into Atlanta’s young core.
The Washington Wizards Are Currently The 14th Seed In The Eastern Conference
If Trae Young is indeed dealt to the Washington Wizards this 2025-26 NBA campaign, then he will be joining a team that is currently ranked second to the last in the Eastern Conference at 14th with a lowly 10-25 record.
However, Young may just be what the Wizards need in their rebuild as he can serve as the veteran presence, alongside 2021 NBA champion Khris Middleton, to a young rotation that includes forward Alex Sarr.
Also Read: Amid Rumors of Trading Trae Young, Mavericks Reportedly Looking to Send Anthony Davis to Atlanta Hawks
Read More: After Rumors of Interest for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Trae Young’s Place In Hawks Reportedly At Peril
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