Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young will still have two years remaining on his contract after this season, with a player option for 2026-27. That being said, he’ll be eligible for an extension this summer. The four-time All-Star is subsequently approaching an offseason in which he’ll have to make a serious decision.
Hawks’ Trae Young Coy About Signing Contract Extension
In an ideal world, Young would like to stay with the Hawks. He’s even on record saying he’d like to win a championship in Atlanta. Yet, he’s also expressed his desire to play for a winning team.
To that point, the Hawks have had a record that’s at or below .500 in each of the last three seasons. They haven’t made it past the first round of the NBA Playoffs since 2021. In that time, the Hawks have been handicapped by injuries and at the mercy of their management.
Their blockbuster trade for Dejounte Murray was all but a horror film. Trading five second-round picks for Saddiq Bey was definitely a bad idea. The jury is out on their decision to trade the oft-injured De’Andre Hunter this season. At the time, he was scoring a career-high 19.0 points per game.
So, unsurprisingly, Young was coy when cornered about the possibility of signing an extension this offseason.
“I’m still stuck in the moment right now and not really focusing on that right now,” he tells HoopsHype reporter Michael Scotto. “I know it’s going to come… I’m just focusing on this team, building these young guys, and giving them confidence. At the end of the year, everything else will be discussed.”
Those comments align with Young’s answer about his impression of the team’s direction.
“It’s hard to determine the future. I’m so stuck in the moment right now and focusing on what they wanted me to do this year by trying to build these young guys and give them confidence. I’m focused on that and not focusing on the end result. At the end of the day, focus on getting better every day and letting the results come as they go.”
However, when he was asked about 2025 Defensive Player of the Year favorite Dyson Daniels, his intentions were much clearer:
“I look forward to continuing to build with him because he’s got a bright future for sure,” Young says.
Helping The Young Guys
Young has spent his entire career with the Hawks, the franchise that acquired him in a draft night trade with the Dallas Mavericks.
In an alternate universe, if the Hawks don’t make that trade with the Mavericks, they would likely have ended up with Luka Doncic. In fact, there was a time that Doncic’s agent believed his client would be drafted by Atlanta. The way the deal played out left a bitter taste in Bill Duffy’s mouth though, as he steered Alex Sarr away from the Hawks in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Perhaps Atlanta would’ve drafted Zaccharie Risacher anyways but they didn’t even get the opportunity to workout Sarr. Strange for a team with the No. 1 pick. All is well that ends well though, neither Risacher nor Sarr have played poorly during their rookie season.
Indeed, Risacher has averaged 12.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game on 44.9 percent shooting from the field, operating as a Swiss French Army Knife. The versatile Sarr has averaged 13.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.6 blocks per game in a season that’s been underappreciated. With that being said, Washington is 16-58, while Atlanta is 35-38.
As Young continues to help players like Risacher and Jalen Johnson get comfortable, the Hawks should only improve.
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