NBA rumors: KD-Warriors reunion? Spurs-Hawks blockbuster, Mavs' Luka problem
- Some players are turned off by Luka Doncic's ball-dominant style
- Spurs and Hawks discussed potential Trae Young trade
- Warriors could be interested in Kevin Durant reunion
NBA rumors: Spurs, Hawks discussed Trae Young trade prior to deadline
The San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks were both active leading up to the NBA trade deadline. For Atlanta, there was speculation aplenty about a potential Dejounte Murray trade, But, according to the latest report from Howard Beck of The Ringer, the Hawks also discussed the framework of a Trae Young deal with the Spurs.
"'He’s available,” said a second Eastern Conference exec. “I think they would love to trade Trae,” a Western Conference exec said of the Hawks, who are 24-30 and again slotted for the play-in tournament.'"
While the trade deadline as a whole was relatively uneventful, it's clear we are in store for a hectic and transformative offseason. Young isn't the only major star slated to potentially change teams, but he is certainly one of the best in terms of value. At 25 years old, Young is under contract through 2025-26. He also has an Eastern Conference Finals appearance under his belt. Young is currently averaging 27.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 10.9 assists on .428/.373/.857 splits in 36.6 minutes.
The Spurs would plainly benefit a ton from Young — maybe more than any other franchise. The pervasive storyline around San Antonio this season, aside from Victor Wembanyama's star ascent, is the lack of a proper playmaking apparatus around the reigning No. 1 pick. Wembanyama is the NBA's most potent lob threat, with a catch radius modern mathematics can barely account for. And yet, the Spurs don't really have a starting-level point guard.
In Young, San Antonio has a real chance to add the NBA's most dynamic pick-and-roll playmaker. Combining Wembanyama's vertical gravity at the rim with Young's pull-up threat and expert ball-handling manipulation? Well, that's borderline unfair. Wembanyama is also the perfect star to help offset Young's defensive limitations. It would be a symbiotic relationship.
The Spurs won't be the only team after Young in the offseason, but San Antonio can offer Atlanta its own picks from the Dejounte Murray trade, in addition to a spate of other quality assets. We've already heard that Young is open to the idea of playing with Wemby, so let the speculation begin in full.