With his contract situation unresolved, Trae Young’s long-term future with the Atlanta Hawks remains up in the air. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon foresees this becoming an increasingly prominent storyline in the 2025-26 NBA season despite Atlanta’s offseason efforts to build around the four-time All-Star point guard.
Coming off his first NBA assist title (11.6 assists per game), Young is eligible for a four-year, $229 million maximum contract extension through June 30, 2026. Amid lingering questions about the relatively undersized (6-foot-1), defensively limited backcourt standout’s ability to be a true leading man, the Hawks have held off on making him an offer.
With training camp beginning in a few weeks, it appears Young will enter Year 8 without a new deal. His standing in Atlanta hinges on how the team’s new-look roster performs.
Why Does Tim MacMahon Cast Doubt on Trae Young’s Outlook With Hawks?
On Tuesday’s episode of “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective,” MacMahon and Co. debated whether Atlanta should be considered a “rising team in the Eastern Conference.”
Following last season’s ninth-place finish (40-42), the franchise added veteran rim-protecting stretch five Kristaps Porziņģis, two-way wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and sharpshooter Luke Kennard. The moves could elevate the Hawks into contention in what’s projected to be a watered-down East, with high-profile teams like the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers nursing major injuries.
Still, MacMahon noted that Young’s contract uncertainty may loom large over the 2026 playoff hopeful. The soon-to-be 27-year-old is on the books for $46 million this coming season. After that, he holds a $49 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign that he could decline to enter free agency next summer.
“The long-term outlook for Trae Young in Atlanta is murky, at the minimum, at this point,” MacMahon said.
“This is a guy who has been the face of the Atlanta Hawks for seven years. He’s averaged 25 [points] and 10 [assists]. You know, just led the league in assists. His offensive production has been elite. But there are question marks about whether this is going to be a long-term marriage.”
The NBA insider added that despite Young’s eye-popping stats, he has yet to lead Atlanta beyond Round 1 of the postseason since 2021, justifying the organization’s hesitancy.
“He had big-time playoff success. Man took a bow on the floor at Madison Square Garden, but that run to the Eastern Conference finals is the only playoff success that they’ve had,” MacMahon pointed out.
“And I get taking a cautious approach to committing to Trae Young as a maximum-salaried face of a franchise if you’re trying to put together a contender.”
Sharing that sentiment, ESPN’s Bobby Marks predicted in mid-August that the Hawks would wait to get a “better feel” of how their revamped roster “fits” before they’re “willing to commit long-term” to Young. As such, Young may need to guide Atlanta to close to a 50-win season to cement his status as the franchise’s long-term centerpiece.
