Trae Young’s name has been swirling in trade speculations for months, but the latest insight from NBA insider Zach Lowe suggests a brutal reality. He suggests that there may not be a strong market for the Atlanta Hawks star.
While speculation has linked the Oklahoma native to several teams, Lowe believes the Hawks might be better off keeping him, as no trade offer would completely positively reshape the franchise.
Zach Lowe Wants the Hawks to Retain Trae Young
If you’ve been following Young’s journey recently, you may have noticed that he has struggled in the playoffs since leading the Hawks to the Conference Finals four years ago.
If not, don’t worry—you don’t need to know all the details to understand this: in the last two seasons, the Hawks have failed to advance past the Play-In Tournament, which has raised more questions about Young’s ability to lead the team forward.
Because of these consistent playoff disappointments, some have started to question whether Young is truly the right franchise cornerstone for Atlanta. As a result, he’s been the subject of trade rumors for quite some time. However, NBA insider Lowe argues against trading the point guard, suggesting that keeping him might actually be the better option for the team’s long-term success.
“I kind of want the Hawks to keep Trae Young long term. I don’t think there’s a great market for him. So I don’t think there’s a trade out there that completely just reorients the franchise in a positive way,” Lowe said on his show.
“I kind of want the Hawks to keep Trae Young long term.”@ZachLowe_NBA makes the case for why the Hawks should NOT trade Trae Young. pic.twitter.com/TMEvjXnmE0
— The Ringer (@ringer) June 10, 2025
Young, who averaged 24.2 points and 11.6 assists per game last season, remains one of the league’s top offensive playmakers. However, his big contract creates some challenges for the Hawks. Right now, Young has a $48.9 million player option for the 2026-27 season.
This gives him the power to either stay in Atlanta or test free agency. On top of that, he’s eligible to sign a four-year, $229 million extension this summer. That puts the Hawks in a tough spot—should they build around him long-term or explore trade options?
“If I can extend him at a decent number, I just kind of like their team, and I do think he’ll change his style of play a little bit,” Lowe added.
“I think there’s hope for like a Trae Young mid-career, metamorphosis is too strong of a word, but I could see, like, in a year, it’s like, ‘oh my god, the Hawks are like, up 2-1 in the second round, and Trae Young is moving off the ball a little bit’…like I could see it.”
Besides his average stats, the 26-year-old shot 41.1% from the field, 34% from three-point range, and 87.5% from the free-throw line. These numbers show that he still shines as a shooter and playmaker. However, whether the Hawks can reach their full potential with Young leading the way remains to be seen.