The Atlanta Hawks are competing in the Eastern Conference with plenty of games still left in the season. On Wednesday night, the Hawks made a franchise-altering move, sending beloved guard Trae Young to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
“The Atlanta Hawks are trading four-time All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.The trade ends Young's stint as the face of the Hawks franchise after seven-plus seasons,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.
The Hawks made a major move that signals the franchise is heading in a new direction. However, it also opens the door for Atlanta to potentially go all-in on Anthony Davis.
“After trading Trae Young, the Hawks now plan to pursue Anthony Davis in a package built around expiring contracts Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kennard. Atlanta appears to be changing their identity to a defense-first model after years building around Young’s offensive prowess,” NBA reporter Evan Sidery posted.
The Young trade frees up money, especially when it comes to taking on a massive contract like Davis’. It would be two significant moves in one winter for the Hawks, but the Dallas Mavericks are not going to give Davis away cheaply.
“Both sides know this, and Dallas could end up with one of the Hawks' prized assets if they play their cards right. And if the Hawks don't want to play ball, the Mavericks can keep Davis for the remainder of the season and wait until the offseason to move on,” The Smoking Cuban’s Noah Weber wrote.
If the Hawks are able to land Davis, it would be a massive move for the future of the organization. All Atlanta would need to do is convince him to agree to an extension.
Trading away Young was not an easy decision, but if it opens the door to acquiring Davis, it could ultimately be worth it. The Hawks will continue exploring ways to maneuver their roster as they reshape the franchise moving forward.