The Atlanta Hawks made a draft night trade back in 2018 that will affect their franchise for the foreseeable future. They traded away the rights to Luka Dončić after selecting him third overall, shipping him off to the Dallas Mavericks, where he has become a player with the potential to be one of the greatest all-time. In return, the Hawks acquired Trae Young, amongst other assets.
For a while, it looked like the trade could have worked out for both sides. Doncic was doing his thing in Dallas, but Young was no slouch. He quickly became one of the young stars of the NBA with his deadly deep-shooting, and he even led the Hawks on an Eastern Conference Finals run that almost got them into the championship.
Which Team Will Trae Young Play For Next?
But things have gone south in Atlanta. The Hawks are still well within playoff contention as the 8th seed during the All-Star break, but they have a sub-.500 record and are just 3 games away from being out of the playoff picture entirely. Things have been so poor that the team decided to fire head coach Nate McMillan mid-season after nearly two years on the job.
Much of the issues stem from Trae Young’s troubles. His efficiency numbers and averages are down across the board, and he still has one of the highest turnover rates of any star player. Things haven’t been great off of the court, either. There have been ongoing rumors about the worsening of the relationship between the team and the player, which apparently caused Young to not show up to a game earlier this season. The decision caused a stir amongst local reporters in Atlanta, and the situation was never reported as being resolved.
Who Could Young Play For Next?
Because of the relationship strain, rumors have begun to float about Young wanting out. In the age of player empowerment in the NBA, don’t be surprised to see him requesting a trade before the beginning of next season. If he does, where would he end up?
| Trae Young’s Next Team | Odds | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Heat | +400 |  |
| Bulls | +500 | |
| Mavericks | +600 | |
| Lakers | +700 | |
| Clippers | +700 | |
| Celtics | +800 | |
| Wizards | +800 | |
BetOnline has the Miami Heat as the current favorite at +400. Pat Riley and company have missed out on a few available All-Stars in recent years, and they will likely go all out for a youthful presence like Young. The odds of the next few teams aren’t lagging far behind, with the Chicago Bulls at +500 and Dallas Mavericks at +600. Could the Mavs move on from Kyrie Irving after just a half-season and bring in Doncic’s draft classmate as the future pairing?
Both Los Angeles teams are listed at +700, with the Celtics and Wizards coming in at +800.
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