Various anonymous NBA executives and NBA analysts have suggested that Trae Young could be the next superstar to request a trade. The team has underachieved since reaching the Eastern Conference Finals, and Young has a narrative surrounding him that he’s some sort of diva. So while I disagree wholeheartedly, I understand why some outsiders that aren’t familiar with the situation may come to that conclusion. A panel of analysts at ESPN, however, is not buying that Trae Young will be the next superstar to demand a trade.
That title belongs to Joel Embiid, who received an astounding 40% of the vote. Zion Williamson was behind him with 20%, with Trae Young tied for four with Kyrie Irving at 8%.
Young’s an easy target when it comes to these types of conversations. A lot of people around the league don’t think he’s that good for whatever reason, and that he’s a coach killer. They have this weird vision of who they think Trae Young is behind closed doors that nobody that actually watches the Hawks sees.
People who have played against Trae Young understand how deadly he is with the ball in his hands. They realize how difficult it is to make All-Star teams, All-NBA teams, and the Eastern Conference Finals at such a young age. They’ve seen him take over on the road and give him his flowers for what he’s accomplished in such a short amount of time in the league.
Meanwhile, I’ve never heard a single one of Trae Young’s teammates come out and speak poorly about his work ethic, desire to win, or the way he treats his coaches. If anything, Young is misunderstood, especially by those who really have no clue what is going on behind the scenes.
Since arriving in Atlanta, Young’s message has been clear to the fans. He wants to bring this city a championship desperately. He’s never been one to bad-mouth a coach publicly and has consistently sung the praises of Quin Snyder since he took over as head coach in the middle of last season. Hell, Young even had nothing but good things to say about Nate McMillan when he was fired.
The only reason I could see the Hawks superstar point guard requesting a trade is because of the dysfunction within the organization. Ownership has been known to meddle in basketball decisions. It’s why Travis Schlenk is no longer with the team. If that continues, and the Hawks can’t progress back to the level they were a couple of seasons ago, perhaps Young comes to a point where he’s had enough.
However, I don’t think we are anywhere close to that point. Snyder just agreed to a five-year contract to coach Young, and Dejounte Murray just inked an extension to stay in Atlanta through at least the 2026-2027 season. Trae Young also still has four years left on his deal; I highly doubt he’s considering giving up on the Hawks just yet.
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Photographer: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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