3 Trae Young trades Hawks can make on heels of Dejounte Murray deal

The Atlanta Hawks' offseason has been a mixed bag so far. Trading Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., and two first-round picks is objectively great value. It balances the roster around Trae Young and sets the Hawks up for more improvements down the line.

Less impressive was the Zaccharie Risacher pick at No. 1 in last month's NBA Draft. He's just not No. 1 pick material, even in a weak draft. He should find ways to contribute as a versatile defender and competent spot-up shooter, but Risacher doesn't raise the Hawks' ceiling. He's too limited by a thin frame and poor self-creation.

Still, all the same, the Hawks are going to be better than last season... if that's what the front office wants. It's not clear how Atlanta plans to proceed — if this is a minor shuffling of the deck or a hard reset. Trae is a perfectly acceptable centerpiece to build your team around, but after years of suffering, there's a prevalent belief that Young cannot lead a true contender. Maybe the Hawks want to start fresh, to wipe the slate clean and build from scratch.

If Young comes up in future trade talks, Atlanta needs to thread the needle with delicacy. The Hawks don't control their own first-round pick again until 2028. Bottoming out only benefits the San Antonio Spurs, who acquired those pick rights as part of the first Dejounte Murray trade. That is, unless the Hawks can swipe those picks back in a trade.

Ideally, if the Hawks trade Young, it's to stockpile future assets while still competing for a postseason spot. Or, it's to get their own picks back. Both are easier said than done — Trae's market has long been quieter than Dejounte's was — but generally, teams around the league should take interest in an obvious top-30 player with Young's vast offensive repertoire.

All these trades are viable in every direction. Let's try to be fair and get a little creative.

3. Hawks trade Trae Young to Hornets in 3-team swap

A trade that should placate all involved.

First, it's important to note which picks the Hawks receive here. Atlanta receives its own first-round pick rights for 2025 and 2026, clearing the way for a proper rebuild around Zaccharie Risacher and Jalen Johnson. The Spurs cough up Zach Collins to anchor the Hawks' frontcourt behind Onyeka Okongwu, while Devonte' Graham gets absorbed into a TPE for salary-matching purposes.

The Spurs sacrifice a couple potentially valuable Hawks picks, but still control all of their own draft picks. That's enough ammo for another blockbuster trade down the line. LaMelo Ball arrives from Charlotte, giving the Spurs a genius-level playmaker to set the table and feed Victor Wembanyama easy looks. Any defensive concerns with Ball are mitigated by Wemby's presence in the paint. The Spurs are also a great basketball culture for LaMelo, whose immaturity is a common qualm among skeptics.

Charlotte essentially swaps LaMelo for Trae Young, sacrificing their 2027 first-round pick and Nick Smith Jr. to grease the wheels on this trade. The Hornets need to establish a winning culture under new head coach Charles Lee. LaMelo is a tremendous talent, but health problems have made it more theoretical than practical so far.

Trae, when he has a decent team around him, can lead a postseason push. The defensive issues are well-documented, but he's a god-tier pick-and-roll creator with limitless shooting range and a knack for elevating teammates. The Hawks were top five in offensive efficiency the season before last. Paired with Brandon Miller in the backcourt, Young should help Charlotte establish a real offensive identity.

2. Hawks trade Trae Young to Jazz

The Hawks need a significant haul to trade Young without getting their own picks back. Utah can afford to part with several future firsts and it hardly leaves a dent. Danny Ainge set the Jazz up nicely with the Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert trades. Now, rather than dealing Lauri Markkanen and slipping further into a rebuild, Ainge can start putting his foot on the accelerator.

Young and Markkanen are the foundation of a winning team in the West. Utah has been competitive each of the last two seasons up until the trade deadline, when Ainge pulled the plug and deliberately executed a tear-down (twice) in order to jockey for draft position. Will Hardy is one of the brightest young coaches in the league and Utah is ready to field a sustainable winner.

It's hard to imagine a more cohesive star duo. Young is the league's most potent pick-and-roll playmaker, capable of creating advantages with his speed, creativity, and gravity. Markkanen is an elite off-ball scorer — a legitimate 7-footer who is comfortable running off screens, drilling movement 3s, or feasting out of pick-and-pop actions. The combined shooting acumen between Utah's stars would cause headaches for defenses, not to mention Young's ability to establish quick chemistry with Walker Kessler as a lob threat.

Again, defense is a concern, but Kessler is one of the top per-minute rim protectors in the league. Utah has invested serious draft resources on the defensive end, with Taylor Hendricks bound for a sophomore breakout.

The Hawks get a premium haul of four future first-round picks, as well as John Collins and Collin Sexton as salary filler. It's a mildly amusing (and maybe a tad depressing) full-circle moment to swap Young for Collins, but it's the name of the game. Ainge loves to build around twitchy, creative point guards (see: Isaiah Thomas, Kyrie Irving). Young can take Utah to the next level.

1. Hawks trade Trae Young to Spurs

Probably the simplest path to a suitable deal for Atlanta. The Spurs' interest in Young has waned according to various reports, but the fit is undeniable. Victor Wembanyama overcame every obstacle as a rookie, but the Spurs' lack of consistent point guard play was an ongoing problem. Young would make Wemby's life much, much easier, setting up the French wunderkind for a dominant sophomore campaign.

Young has interest in joining the Spurs and it's hard to imagine a better coach to grow and mature under than Gregg Popovich. San Antonio has wing depth and quality defenders to build around, but Young can tie it all together. He will create advantages with his handle, put pressure on the rim, and feed clean looks behind the 3-point line for a team that struggled from long-range a season ago.

He won't address the Spurs' perimeter defense woes, but Stephon Castle will. The Spurs can maneuver elsewhere to strengthen the defense around Young. A lot of issues are masked by Wembanyama, whose length and mobility on the interior deters drives — even once a perimeter defender has ceded the advantage.

Young and Wemby would forge one of the league's most unguardable two-man games. Wemby's catch radius and soft touch around the basket make him a dream lob target. Young, meanwhile, is going to probe the teeth of the defense and demand aggressive coverage due to his constant pull-up threat. Wemby can roll or pop; Young can snake through traffic, drill 3s coming off a screen, or hit the turbo and attack the paint. The Spurs' offense would go from mediocre to deadly in an instant.

The Spurs give up Keldon Johnson and Zach Collins, two immediate rotation pieces for Atlanta, as well as the Hawks' first-round picks over the next three years. This allows the Hawks to rebuild while the Spurs take off.