It started with a simple report from NBA insider Marc Stein that the Washington Wizards had emerged as a legitimate suitor for Atlanta Hawks star guard Trae Young. This was followed by a report from ESPN insider Shams Charania that the Hawks and Young's agents will work together to find him a new home as his time in Atlanta comes to an end.
Since Young returned from injury, the Hawks are 0-5 in games he's played and have struggled mightily on defense when he's played. For years, Young was supposed to be the franchise's savior, but now with the emergence of Jalen Johnson, he'll have to go try and revive some other franchise like the Wizards.
With Young likely being dealt before the February 5th trade deadline, the trade the New Orleans Pelicans and Hawks made not too long ago becomes very interesting.
If you remember, just two summers ago, the Pelicans acquired Dejounte Murray for a package centered around Dyson Daniels in draft capital as the Hawks believed Young, not Murray, was the better long-term fit at point guard. But now with Ice Trae being the odd one out in Atlanta, it's clear as day the Hawks made the wrong decision between the two guards.
The Pelicans now just sit back and laugh
Not keeping Murray is a clear mistake by Atlanta, as he fits their needs at point guard defensively and offensively as a playmaker. But also, if the Hawks were to move Young back in the 2024 offseason, his value would have been at an all-time high, meaning they would have been gaining draft capital rather than losing it.
I can't even comprehend how frustrating it must be for a front office to have to trade an All-Star level player who's still in the prime years of his career and have to attach draft capital to get a bite on the trade market. It's even wilder with all reports suggesting someone like Dejounte Murray, who's entering the back half of his prime and is injured, could net the Pelicans a positive return.
Things didn't have to go this way for the Hawks—a few different choices at different times, and I'm not even here writing this article. That said, in the NBA, timing is everything, and the Hawks front office clearly misread the Trae Young clock. As for the Pelicans, they sit comfortably and serve as a reminder to the Hawks of what they could've had.