The Atlanta Hawks are trading star guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Wednesday.
Trae Young Spent Eight Seasons With Hawks
Charania reported earlier in the day that Washington was Young’s preferred destination in a deal. Wizards president Michael Winger and general manager Will Dawkins believe the trade is the best move amid a rebuild.
Young was a four-time All-Star with the Hawks and the face of the NBA franchise since he entered the league in 2018. He remains the team’s all-time leader in 3-pointers (1,295) and assists (4,837).
Charania noted that the trade reunites Young with Wizards executive Travis Schlenk, a former Hawks general manager who drafted him with the fifth overall pick in 2018.
Young led Atlanta to the playoffs three times in his eight years, including a run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021. The Hawks haven’t made the postseason since 2022-23.
Moving Young also provides the Hawks with financial flexibility to pursue a large salary ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, such as Dallas Mavericks star center Anthony Davis.
Per Spotrac, Young has $95 million total remaining on his five-year, $215.15 million rookie max extension, with this season and next season. His deal includes a $48.96 million player option for 2026-27.
Wizards Will Drop Below The Luxury Tax
After acquiring Young, the Wizards will move $30 million below the luxury tax, open a roster spot for another potential trade, and clear $46 million in cap room for the offseason.
As for McCollum, the former first-rounder is on an expiring two-year, $64 million deal. Kispert, meanwhile, is under contract for nearly $14 million this season and next and approximately $13 million in 2027-28.
The Hawks are now expected to build around Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, and potentially Zaccharie Risacher.
Young has dealt with leg injuries this season that have limited him to only 10 games.
In those 10 appearances, Young is averaging only 19.3 points per game, his fewest since his rookie season (19.1 PPG), on 41.5% shooting from the floor and a career-worst 30.5% from 3-point range.
The Hawks went 16-13 in the 29 games he missed this campaign.
Young dealt with a right MCL sprain early in the season and remains sidelined because of a right quad contusion that caused him to sit out his final six games with Atlanta.
Per ESPN Stats & Information, the Hawks’ offense with Young on the floor ranked as a top-15 offense in every season since his second campaign in 2019-20, including being the No. 1 offense in 2020-21 and 2021-22.
