Trae Young Trade Rumors: Trae Young Receives Votes In Latest ESPN Poll To Be The Next NBA Superstar Traded

Would the Hawks consider trade Trae Young now or in the future?

Apr 12, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) drives to the basket past Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) in the first half at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports / Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

The NBA season is still nine weeks away from getting started and the offseason is at its quietest point right now. Unless something unforeseen happens, that gives plenty of time for reflection on what teams have done and determine where every team stacks up in their respective conferences.

The Hawks were one of the most interesting teams to watch when the offseason began. They had a lot of roster issues to solve and how they have done just depends on who you ask. The Hawks received mixed reviews for taking Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick and while Atlanta only had a 3% chance of winning the lottery, this was seen as a down draft compared to most years. The Hawks ended up trading Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans and breaking up the backcourt duo of Murray and Trae Young. While the Trae Young trade rumors have cooled significantly this summer and he is almost certainly not getting traded before or during this season, some analysts still believe the Hawks franchise centerpiece will be moved. Today, ESPN had a panel of experts vote on a variety of topics for the upcoming season and one of the topics was who would be the next superstar to be traded. Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram and Bulls guard Zach LaVine were tied for first with five votes, but Young was a close second with four votes.

These rumors are not going to go away unless the Hawks win and it feels like they have a path forward, which is a lot more realistic than people think. While it feels like the Hawks have been trending in the wrong direction since they made the conference finals, they are still a young team that has players who blossom into stars alongside Young and players that complement his skill set very well, which is not something he has had due to poor roster decisions and construction in the past. Guys like Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, and Risacher could provide a positive outlook for the Hawks' future if they can take the necessary leaps forward. I think the Trae Young trade talks should be put on hold until there is a clear answer to those questions.

I would argue that Atlanta has gotten better this season while also admitting they are not a Finals contender. Getting Risacher and Daniels should improve the defense and be better fit with Trae Young. Jalen Johnson and Oneyka Okongwu are candidates to take a leap forward this year, not to mention that Bogdan Bogdanovic, Larry Nance, Clint Capela, and De'Andre Hunter give the Hawks depth and versatility that they did not have last year.

Bleacher Report analyst Dan Favale gave a reason why the Hawks should not be overlooked this season and he mentioned their lineup versatility:

"Pinpointing an exact direction for the Atlanta Hawks remains somewhat difficult.

They have Trae Young and don't control their own first-round pick again until 2029, so they have every incentive to #goforit. At the same time, the roster is set up to rely on a handful of developmental prospects, including No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher, Dyson Daniels and, to some extent, Kobe Bufkin (backup point guard minutes seem wide open).

This says nothing of guys like Onyeka Okongwu and the extension-eligible Jalen Johnson. Both are more known quantities. Neither, though, is a finished product.

It all adds up to a team with immediate expectations that could incur (plenty of) growing pains. Sign me up for it all—provided head coach Quin Snyder capitalizes on the lineup versatility at his disposal.

Okongwu, Johnson and Larry Nance Jr. permit the Hawks to downsize without actually shrinking how they operate. Risacher has fantastic size, at 6'9", and should be extremely plug-and-play on the offensive end thanks to his transition guile and half-court darting. De'Andre Hunter offers another 6'8" body and improved his shot diet last season. David Roddy is 6'4" but plays like he's 6'9", for both better and worse.

Here's hoping Atlanta gets super creative around Young. Personally, I'm pining to see him alongside Daniels, Johnson, Risacher and Nance. Floor-spacing could get tight, in which case Hunter could be plugged into one of the other spots. But the defensive intensity and malleability would be entertaining as hell."

The Hawks have not had the NBA's best offseason, but I think they have improved in certain areas and have a team that makes more sense. Let's see if that leads to more wins.