No one is safe in the league. Trae Young’s run in Atlanta has come to an end. The Atlanta Hawks have agreed to trade the four-time All-Star to the Washington Wizards in a deal that sends CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to Atlanta.
Young heads to the nation’s capital as a veteran centerpiece for a developing Wizards roster that features Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, and Tre Johnson. The move follows weeks of speculation around Young’s future with the franchise.
After Wednesday’s win over the Toronto Raptors, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder declined to address the deal, citing league procedure. “I know you all have questions for me right now. I’m not at liberty to talk about or answer,” Snyder said, noting the trade was still awaiting NBA approval.
Trade discussions intensified earlier this month. On January 5, ESPN reported that Young and his representatives were actively working with the Hawks to explore potential trade scenarios.
Injuries played a notable role during the season. Young missed time with an MCL injury from October 31 to December 14, a stretch in which Atlanta went 13-9. After returning from a knee sprain on December 18, the Hawks dropped five straight games with Young in the lineup. His final appearance came on December 27, before a right quadriceps contusion sidelined him again.
Young leaves Atlanta after seven seasons as one of the most accomplished players in franchise history. Acquired on draft night in 2018, he earned four All-Star selections, an All-NBA Third Team honor in 2022, and led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. He finishes his tenure as the franchise’s all-time leader in assists and regular-season three-pointers, while averaging 25.2 points and 9.8 assists across 493 games.
McCollum arrives in his 13th NBA season, averaging 18.8 points per game while shooting 39.3 percent from three. Kispert, now in his fifth season, owns a career 38.3 percent mark from beyond the arc.