The Atlanta Hawks are entering an intriguing and potentially busy offseason with myriad decisions to make. At the top of the organization, Atlanta is in search of a new president of basketball operations. That choice will impact everything else within the structure of the team, but on the player side, the lead topic, at least nationally, is perhaps the status of Trae Young as he wraps up his seventh NBA season.
Young enjoyed a strong 2024-25 campaign in which he comfortably led the NBA in assists and earned an Eastern Conference All-Star nod in February. However, a big moment is on the horizon for Young on several other players across the league, and that is the pending announcement of the All-NBA teams for the 2024-25 season.
Here is a look at how it can impact Young, all while acknowledging that Young might be on the outside looking in when it comes to earning an All-NBA nod.
How much money is riding on All-NBA and maybe whether the possible trade scenarios could affect how they negotiate.
The financial implications of an All-NBA selection for Trae Young
Simply put, an All-NBA selection could lead to a lot more money for Trae Young. At present, Young is eligible for an extension this summer that can be for up to four years and $229 million on top of his current deal. If selected to an All-NBA team, his max extension would increase and Young could earn a deal for up to five years and $345 million.
It is important to note that this is not an automatic trigger. Young's next deal still has to be negotiated and, while his max would rise, it would be a surprise if the Hawks gave Young a deal for five years and $345 million, even if he gets the All-NBA nod. At the same time, the ability to offer five years can open doors, and star-level players often anchor to their maximum allowed salaries.
Room to negotiate
In summer of 2024, New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson surprised many by taking a significant discount on an extension in order to give the Knicks more flexibility to add to the roster. Brunson still earned more than $150 million in guaranteed salary, but he accepted far less than the most he could earn.
That is relevant to where the Hawks and Trae Young find themselves one year later, as there is room for negotiation below the maximum allowed deal for the star point guard. While things can always change, Atlanta has been, rather infamously, averse to paying the luxury tax, and a "max" deal for Young could making things quite difficult for a new front office to navigate. In addition, a four-year (or five-year) deal for Young at his maximum could conceivably become ugly at the end as a dimunitive guard moves into his 30's.
Still, it takes two to tango, and while Brunson was perhaps assuaged by the Knicks' recent success and the chance to play with some of his college teammates, Young would need to fully buy-in to Atlanta's process in order to take a very notable discount. It is notable, though, that Young could secure another nine-figure agreement a year before hitting free agency, and that isn't a small thing on the player side.
On-court impact
As noted earlier in the offseason, the Hawks simply aren't the same team without Trae Young, and he is a force multiplier for the team's other core pieces. While Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, and Dyson Daniels are all intriguing two-way players with upside, none profiles as an overly likely No. 1 option in the future. While Young does have flaws and shortcomings, he is a proven lead option on a quality offense, and his presence also pushes the other pieces into more natural overall roles that spotlight their contributions.
Without knowing the financial specifics of a deal that the two sides could agree to, it is difficult to fully gauge all of the team-building challenges. In the end, Young may not be likely to be selected to an All-NBA team, but it is clearly plausible. It is also another potential pivot point in an already interesting summer for both player and team.