Hawks trade Trae Young to Wizards in blockbuster deal for McCollum and Kispert
The Atlanta Hawks are officially moving into a new era after trading four-time All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, according to ESPN.
The move ends Young's seven-plus-year run as the face of the franchise and sends the 27-year-old to his preferred destination in Washington, where the organization has been searching for a lead guard to anchor its young core.
The deal reunites Young with former Hawks executive Travis Schlenk, who drafted him fifth overall in 2018, while also giving Washington significant financial flexibility heading into the offseason.
For Atlanta, the trade signals a full philosophical reset centered on developing rising talent like Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, and rookie Zaccharie Risacher.
McCollum offers immediate stability as a veteran scorer with an expiring contract, and the move opens the door for the Hawks to pursue a major acquisition—reportedly eyeing Dallas's Anthony Davis—as they approach a summer where they'll hold a potentially valuable first-round pick. The shift also ends months of uncertainty between Young's camp and the front office after the team opted not to pursue a contract extension and went 2–10 with him in the lineup this season.
Young leaves Atlanta as the franchise leader in assists and three-pointers, having guided the Hawks to three postseason appearances and an Eastern Conference finals run in 2021. Washington, meanwhile, gains a high-usage playmaker to elevate an offense currently ranked near the bottom of the league in guard production and efficiency, though the Wizards are not expected to pursue an immediate extension until evaluating Young's health following recent knee and quad injuries.
With both teams sitting outside the top of their respective conferences, the trade represents a gamble—one that could reshape the direction of each franchise long after this season.