Level guard Trae Younger is on his technique to the Washington Wizards in a blockbuster barter with the Atlanta Hawks.
The Washington Wizards appeared to have conjured up a brand new franchise face.
Per Shams Charania of ESPN, the Wizards have obtained Atlanta Hawks franchise face Trae Younger in a blockbuster commerce with their Southeast Division counterparts. Charania studies that the Wizards will ship Corey Kispert and C.J. McCollum to Atlanta in return.
Thus ends Younger’s reign because the franchise face of the Hawks, who acquired him in a 2018 draft night time cope with the Dallas Mavericks in change for fellow future All-Star and commerce headliner Luka Doncic, the participant the Hawks really drafted at No. 3. Younger, who spent one season at Oklahoma after a record-breaking highschool profession at Norman North (Okla.), is probably best-known in Hawk lore for his work within the 2021 playoffs, which noticed him get away for 28.8 factors and 9.5 assists en path to the Jap Convention Finals. Younger turned notably infamous amongst New York Knicks followers after he spoiled the crew’s first postseason exhibiting in eight years throughout a five-game win within the opening spherical.
Luka and Trae:
— Traded for one another on draft night time— Doncic: 1st in PPG by an energetic participant— Younger: 1st in APG by an energetic participant— Each prime 5 all-time in PPG + APG— 1st and 2nd in 30/10a video games since 2019
Each traded away this 12 months; only one first spherical decide was concerned. pic.twitter.com/rhREvTfH4f
— StatMuse (@statmuse) January 8, 2026
Since then, nevertheless, Younger has appeared in however 11 playoff video games and none since 2023. Younger saved up robust manufacturing numbers because the ECF journey, as he appeared in three All-Star Video games since then and led the league in assists per recreation final season. The Hawks, nevertheless, have not come near the ECF once more.
It was clear, nevertheless, that Younger was usurped within the Hawk hierarchy by gamers like Dyson Daniels and Jalen Johnson. Much more damning, the Hawks (18-21) improved to 16-11 with out Younger within the lineup this season with a win over New Orleans on Wednesday. Younger has appeared in however 10 video games this season, and none since Dec. 27, as a result of lingering MCL woes.
The medical and monetary woes ($48.9 million on the ultimate 12 months of the contract that comes from Atlanta) made Younger much more expendable and he is now set to headline a Washington group that’s lastly producing a little bit momentum in a seemingly-eternal rebuild. The Wizards (10-26) had gained 5 of their most up-to-date seven video games earlier than dropping a 131-110 choice to Philadelphia on Wednesday night time.
Younger departs Atlanta because the sixth-leading scorer in Hawks historical past in addition to the franchise’s all-time chief in assists and 3-pointers. Going to the nation’s capital reunites Younger with Wizards vice chairman of participant personnel Travis Schlenk, who was the Hawks’ common supervisor when Younger arrived in 2018.
McCollum was the Wizards’ main scorer at 18.8 factors per recreation throughout his first tour with the crew. He and Kispert (who was just lately sidelined with a hamstring concern) now be a part of an Atlanta group that sits 3.5 video games behind Cleveland for the sixth and last automated playoff spot within the Jap Convention. Atlanta will not be accomplished, as Charania’s report famous that the monetary freedom granted by the Younger commerce may permit it to go after “prime commerce goal” Anthony Davis of the Dallas Mavericks.
Washington is slated to go to Atlanta on consecutive events in late February. Within the meantime, each groups are again in motion on Friday night time, with the Wizards internet hosting New Orleans, whereas the Hawks journey to Denver.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
