The NBA’s first big trade domino has fallen.
Less than a month before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, four-time All-Star Trae Young was traded from the Hawks to the Wizards in a rare intradivision player-for-player deal. In return, Washington sent guard C.J. McCollum and forward Corey Kispert to Atlanta, a person with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.
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The people requested anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly disclose details of the transaction.
Considering the Wizards are second to last in the Eastern Conference and the Hawks are ninth, this trade may not initially change the fortunes of either team. But there should be a ripple effect between these two franchises in the coming years.
Here are the winners and losers from the Trae Young trade:
Winner
Eagles defense (not much though)
This is a pretty shocking stat: In the 10 games Trae Young has played this season, the Hawks are 2-8; in the 28 games without him, they have a 16-12 record. Although Atlanta has dealt with other injuries this season, there is one glaring problem with the lineup that includes Young, and that’s defense.
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As of Wednesday, January 7, Young ranks third-to-last in individual defensive rating among all qualifying players, at 493rd, with a rating of 126.2. It is worth noting that McCollum, the core figure in the trade, is not far behind, ranking 464th with a defensive efficiency of 120.4.
Trae Young
He’s still only 27, has a great offensive game, and now has more influence and agency over his future. According to Spotrac.com, Young is in the final season of his contract, although he has a player option for next year. If he exercises that option, he will make more than $94 million over those two seasons. If he declines, he’ll make $46.4 million this year and then have the opportunity to hit the open market this summer, where he’ll attract considerable interest and, therefore, another lucrative payday.
Regardless, he’ll be headed to his favorite destination with an interesting young core that includes second-year players Alexander Sarr, Ke’Shaun George, rookie Trae Johnson and third-year defensive specialist Bilal Koulibaly.
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Atlanta salary cap flexibility
The Hawks have a nice young core, led by potential All-Stars Jalen Johnson (24), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (27), Dyson Daniels (22) and Zacharie Rissacher (20). Now, with Young no longer on the books, the most valuable player on the roster is center Kristaps Porzis, who makes $30.7 million per year. However, Porzingis is on an expiring contract and McCollum is on an expiring contract (also worth $30.7 million through the 2025-26 season), giving the Hawks significant wiggle room to attract free agents this offseason. Realistically, though, the Eagles might be better off conserving cap space in 2027.
Jaren Johnson
It’s a sign that the Eagles are fully investing in Johnson as the face of the franchise. Johnson averaged 23.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game, and he is likely to be selected to the All-Star for the first time. With Young out of use, Johnson should find the ball in his hands more.
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New York Knicks (let us explain)
The Wizards started the season with a record of 1 win and 15 losses and are currently ranked second to last in the Eastern Conference. However, Washington has won five of its past seven games and has shown some improvement in recent weeks. Presumably, the addition of Young should improve the team’s lineup.
That’s good news for New York, which will receive Washington’s 2026 first-round pick as long as the draft pick ends up No. 9 or lower. The more Washington wins, the more the Knicks win.
loser
Wizards defense
They already rank second to last in the NBA, allowing 121.6 points per 100 possessions. That number could actually get worse as Young plays more minutes. This also puts incredible pressure on Bilal Koulibaly and Alexander Sarr, the main defensive players in the starting lineup.
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Eagles unable to secure draft capital
In NBA economics, nothing is more important than substantial draft capital. Teams like to hoard draft picks so they can package them into trades for better players. It could be the difference between finding a star (or valuable role player) at the deadline and missing out.
Atlanta’s failure to acquire a draft pick in this deal, with the deadline less than a month away, shows just how bad the trade market has been for Young.
Washington Guards at Deadlock
With this trade, the Wizards now have Young, Keshawn George, Trae Johnson and Barb Carrington in their guard rotation. Young and Carrington are the two best at holding the ball, while George and Johnson are also solid at the two guard positions. The strangest guy here is probably Carrington, whose playing time will likely be reduced, especially since George and Johnson have found their off-ball roles.
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This is certainly something coach Brian Keefe will need to address in the coming months.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trae Young trade winners, losers, impact of Hawks-Wizards trade
