The Atlanta Hawks traded four-time All-Star point guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards in exchange for veteran guard CJ McCollum and wing Corey Kispert.
Young, 27, and his representatives had been working with Hawks officials in recent days to find a new team, and Washington quickly emerged as a viable option. The Wizards are in the midst of a rebuild, and have a young core that has shown promise, making the situation appealing for Young as he looks for a reset.
Once considered the centerpiece of Atlanta’s long-term plans, Young’s future with the franchise became increasingly uncertain with the Hawks being more effective without him. From Oct. 31 to Dec. 14, Young missed 22 games with a knee sprain, during which Atlanta went 13–9. After returning on Dec. 18, the Hawks lost all five games he played before he was sidelined again, last appearing on Dec. 27 due to a right quadriceps contusion.
Young has dealt with lingering injuries throughout the season, including an early right MCL sprain and residual knee pain. He has missed the last six games and was seen on the bench Wednesday, leaving and re-entering the bench late in the fourth quarter before heading to the locker room with about 30 seconds remaining as the trade was announced.
The trade ends Young’s seven-plus-year run as the face of the Hawks franchise and sends him to his preferred destination in the nation’s capital, where he will be lead guard. The trade also reunites Young with Wizards executive Travis Schlenk, who originally acquired him for Atlanta in a draft-night deal in 2018. Washington executives believe Young can serve as an anchor for their young roster and represent a major step forward in the organization’s rebuild.
Atlanta, meanwhile, turns the page to a new era centered around Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, and rookie Zaccharie Risacher, aiming for a more fluid, wing-oriented style of play. McCollum provides immediate veteran leadership and offensive stability on a $30.6 million expiring contract.
Young leaves Atlanta as the franchise’s all-time leader in both 3-pointers (1,295) and assists (4,837). He led the Hawks to three playoff appearances, including a run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021. Okongwu is now the lone remaining player from that team still on the roster.
In 10 games this season, Young averaged 19.3 points, 8.9 assists, and 1.5 rebounds in 28 minutes per game, shooting 41.5% from the field and 30.5% from beyond the arc. Over his career, he owns averages of 25.2 points and 9.8 assists, earned an All-NBA selection in 2021–22, and led the league in assists last season at 11.6 per game. However, his ball-dominant style has fueled league-wide perceptions that Atlanta’s roster may have benefited from a more balanced offensive approach.
McCollum, in his 13th NBA season, was averaging a Wizards-high 18.8 points per game while shooting 45.4% from the field and 39.3% from three. He helped Washington win five of seven games from Dec. 26 to Jan. 6, including a win over Milwaukee in which he hit a go-ahead jumper with 1.2 seconds remaining.
Kispert, 26, adds depth on the wing for Atlanta. In his fifth NBA season, he is averaging 9.2 points per game and shooting 39.5% from three. A career 38.3% shooter from deep, Kispert is well-regarded in Washington for his professionalism but became expendable amid a group of younger wing players.
For the Wizards, the trade provides the remainder of this season and part of the 2026–27 season to evaluate Young’s fit alongside their developing core, which includes Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly, Tre Johnson, and Bub Carrington. Washington believes Young’s shooting and playmaking will unlock more efficient offensive roles for its young players, particularly in pick-and-roll situations with Sarr.
The deal also gives Washington financial flexibility. After acquiring Young, the Wizards sit roughly $30 million below the luxury tax, open a roster spot for future moves, and project to have approximately $46 million in cap space this summer.
Washington entered the week at 10–26, 14th in the Eastern Conference, but had won five of seven games before Wednesday’s loss in Philadelphia, a contest in which both McCollum and Kispert were held out. The Wizards have not reached the playoffs since their first-round exit in the 2020–21 season.
