Goodbye Trae Young: Why the Hawks could be better off without their star guard

It’s official: Trae Young has left the Atlanta Hawks for the Washington Wizards in the NBA’s biggest trade of 2026 to date. As part of the deal, CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert head to Atlanta. Young has a player option worth about $49 million for next season and is eligible for a three-year extension with the Wizards.

Trae Young’s NBA achievements

Young has established himself as one of the league’s top guards since being selected by the Hawks as the No. 5 pick in the 2018 draft. Since making his debut in October 2018, the Texan ranks 10th in total points, 12th in points per game, and first in both assists and assists per game among all players who have competed in the league.

Those achievements have earned him several honors, including a spot on the All-Rookie First Team in his debut year and four All-Star selections, though two were as an injury replacement.

Young led the Hawks to three playoff appearances in his seven full seasons in Atlanta, with the deepest run coming in 2021. That year, Atlanta reached the Eastern Conference Finals, ultimately falling to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks.

Hawks better without Young

But despite all of those individual achievements, the numbers reveal a surprising trend: the Hawks have actually been better when Young has not been on the court. This is not just a quirk of this season, but a pattern dating back to his rookie year.

According to NBA stats, Atlanta held a 45% winning record when Young played, compared with 49% when he did not.

The trend has been particularly noticeable in 2025-26. The 27-year-old has missed significant time due to injury, playing in just 10 games. During that span, Atlanta posted a 2-8 record. In the 29 games without him, however, the Hawks went 16-13.

Playoff hopes remain alive

Young leaves the Hawks, who are 18-21 overall, in ninth spot in the Eastern Conference and in with a chance of clinching the playoffs, at least in the play-in tournament. Losing their star guard may feel like a big blow, but the numbers show head coach Quin Snyder shouldn’t be too concerned, with his team more than capable of winning without him.

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