Will Trae Young leave the Hawks this summer? Which teams could be interested in trading for him?

It would be fair to say that the Hawks’ point guard is one of the best in the league at the moment, which is also why one would have to imagine that unless the Hawks can become a contender in short order, he will likely be looking for greener pastures. With that in mind, we’re taking a look at potential landing spots.

Where are Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks at right now?

The Atlanta Hawks can hold their heads high. While they now find themselves in a do-or-die situation, playing against the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Play-In Tournament on Wednesday night, it would be safe to say that the Hawks have done well to get to this point given the season they had. With that said, the team must now win two play-in games - the first of which will be on the road in Chicago - before they can have a crack at the No. 1-seeded Boston Celtics.

Now, with all due respect to the Hawks who have fought the good fight, it’s quite likely that their campaign won’t continue for much longer. That brings us to the obvious question of what will All-Star guard Trae Young do. At present, the 25-year-old has a contract worth $138 million and is good for three more years with the last year offering a player option. Where circumstances are concerned, the Hawks have talent on the roster in the form of players such as Dejounte Murray, who covers for Young’s apparent lack of defensive presence but comes at a cost that taxes overall roster growth. So, what comes next? There was speculation that Murray would be on the move, but we’ve since seen him establish himself as a valuable part of the setup. What that has led to, is the widespread belief that it’s actually Young who will be jumping ship this summer. The question is, ‘Where will he go?’

Where could Trae Young go?

Before we discuss potential destinations, it’s worth pointing out what’s been said about Young as well as how that lines up with the reality of who he is. According to one NBA executive, Young presents a unique problem. “It’s difficult to win with a player like Trae. He needs to be the best player on your team, but he’s not at that top-tier level,” was the take given. Yet, even if we could argue that Young is ‘top-tier’, the truth is that not every team in the NBA is in need of a point guard and furthermore, one who is small at 6′1″ and weighs 164 pounds. Add to that his salary of $43 million for the coming season and things get even more complicated. Nonetheless there are a few teams that might fit the bill.

First up we’ve got the Los Angeles Lakers. Now as strange as this sounds, hear us out. To begin with, Young is represented by Klutch Sports, the same agency that represents both LeBron James and Anthony Davis. On top of that, we do know that James’ career is coming to an end. Could it be that the Lakers are looking to build around a Young/Davis pairing for the future? Where facts and figures are concerned, the Lakers currently have a cap of $172.3 million which expires after June, meaning any potential deal will have to wait until then. Yet, they do have three first-round picks and possibly five in the second round which would be more than enough to make a move for Young. Keep an eye on this one as strange as it sounds.

Here is where we come to the San Antonio Spurs. Yes, we’re talking Wemby and Young together and this isn’t the first time such an idea has been floated. To be clear, such a deal would likely require the involvement of a third team - think Chicago Bulls - but regardless of how it could go down, it’s clear that the Spurs have the draft capital to make it happen. Should the Hawks be interested in said capital, there is literally no other team in the league that has it to offer like the Spurs. Yet, we’ve got to mention the Brooklyn Nets. While there might be others, the Nets are perhaps the one team that has a clear need at point guard. Remember, Spencer Dinwiddie’s expiring contract was shifted to the Raptors who in turn let him go for Dennis Schroder. Of course, Brooklyn does not have the same draft capital as the Spurs now that they owe a ton of picks to the Houston Rockets for James Harden, but they did get some back when they moved Harden to the 76ers, Kevin Durant to the Suns, and Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks. As we always say, watch this space.