Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young has the Washington Wizards as his preferred destination as the team and player work together on a possible trade, sources tell ESPN.
Young’s agents, Aaron Mintz, Drew Morrison and Austin Brown, continue to have conversations with the Hawks about a resolution toward a trade out of Atlanta, sources said. The Hawks are in active trade talks on multiple fronts, those sources said.
Atlanta is working to trade Young, who has a $49 million player option in the offseason that would make him an expiring contract. He could also opt out in the offseason, leave as a free agent and give Hawks almost $40 million in cap space.
Young has been the face of the Hawks’ franchise since he was drafted in 2018 and sits as the team’s all-time leader in 3-pointers and assists. He has led Atlanta to the postseason three times in his eight years, including a run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021.
But the Hawks appear poised to turn the page on a new era with the emergence of forward Jalen Johnson, who is averaging 23.7 points, 10.4 rebounds and 8.4 assists in 34 games this season, while free agent acquisition Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is averaging a career-high 20.5 points in 36 appearances on the year.
Young has dealt with leg injuries this season that have limited him to only 10 games.
Young, who dealt with a right MCL sprain early in the season and has managed residual pain from the injury, is currently sidelined because of a right quad contusion that has caused him to sit out the past five games.
An All-NBA selection in 2021-22, Young has career averages of 25.2 points and 9.8 assists. He led the league in assists last season with 11.6 per game.
