For a while now, the signs have pointed to an eventual breakup between the Atlanta Hawks and Trae Young. Barring a surprise contract extension, Young is set to enter the summer of 2026 with a $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season and, while much of the intel pointed to a June/July swing point in the process, the discourse shifted mightily on Monday around reporting from ESPN's Shams Charania.
Charania notes that Young and his CAA agents are now "working with the franchise on a trade" out of Atlanta, also indicating that Young's side and Hawks GM Onsi Saleh "have begun positive and collaborative talks over the past week on finding a resolution." Of course, that does not mean that anything is imminent with his potential departure from the only NBA team Trae Young has ever played for, but speculation is already running with regard to potential suitors.
Marc Stein reported on Substack that the Washington Wizards are a "legitimate trade destination" for Young. He also added that the two sides are "actively discussing a trade construction centered around CJ McCollum's expiring contract." Given the active talks, a Hawks-Wizards trade might be the most likely on the board, but Jake Fischer reports that the Hawks have been having discussions with "several teams" and it is not a one-team race.
To that end, here is a look at five potential dark horse candidates to get into the trade mix with Trae Young at a potentially bargain price point. As an important, these five teams have not been reported to have interest, at least at the time of this post.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls are on pace for a fourth consecutive season of utter mediocrity and, over the last ten years, Chicago has only two playoff appearances and one season with more than 42 victories. That is a sharp decline for a franchise that was once used to sitting atop the league, but it also means that the Bulls should probably be willing to take some swings.
Chicago does have a capable lead guard (Coby White) and another high-volume initiator (Josh Giddey) that could quell any Young interest. However, White is set to hit free agency and, while Giddey is enjoying a strong season, he is widely considered to be a sub-standard option as the No. 1 guy. Young and Giddey aren't the best fit by any means, but Chicago could also use an infusion of star power and Young has that, in addition to his status as the best passing guard in the NBA.
Los Angeles Clippers
Like the Bulls, there are reasons for the Clippers not to have interest, and the biggest may be James Harden. Harden has a similar contract structure to Young in that he is facing a player option in 2026-27, but crucially, Harden is already 36 years old and Young is only 27. That difference is quite notable and, if the Clippers were looking to perhaps pivot a bit in a more future-facing direction, it wouldn't be crazy for L.A. to inquire. The logistics would be highly difficult during the season, but if this stand-off got to the summer, the Clippers could be worth eyeing.
Milwaukee Bucks
"Wait, why would the Bucks be on this list? Aren't they potentially trading Giannis and rebuilding?"
Well, yes, that is a possibility. After all, there has been smoke on Antetokounmpo's future and, honestly, that isn't likely to slow down anytime soon. However, the Bucks are messaging to anyone who will listen that they actually want to add to their team around Giannis, and taking a big swing on Young would be on-brand for what Milwaukee has done in recent years.
Unlike Washington, the Bucks can't offer expiring contracts to the Hawks, complicating matters considerably, but Milwaukee has the desperation factor. They also have a frontcourt with Giannis and Myles Turner that could be useful in shielding Young on defense.
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Wolves are probably an offseason team for Young, if anything. They mirror the Clippers case above in that it would be very difficult to make a move with Atlanta before the deadline. Some of that is financial, in that Minnesota adding in a $46 million salary without gutting their team on the fly in the midst of a playoff chase isn't feasible.
At the same time, Minnesota is one of the league's teams that most clearly need a long-term solution at point guard. That's why they're on this list after the Rob Dillingham experiment has not paid returns in the early going.
Sacramento Kings
Let's get this out of the way. Sam Amick of The Athletic reports that the Kings don't have interest in Trae Young. That has to be mentioned ... but it's the Kings.
Is there a franchise that would make more sense for Young in a vacuum than Sacramento? They need a point guard. They need star power. They have matching salary. They have a history of making moves aimed at being pretty good rather than taking a long-term, patient approach.
It's something.