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The NBA at large does not value Trae Young as a positive asset, according to Jake Fischer, meaning any trade involving Young must be for another “albatross” max-contract player.
On a recent episode of his show with Bleacher Report, Insider Notebook, Fischer laughed at a pair of trades suggested by his viewers: Young for Ja Morant, and Young for LaMelo Ball. He responded, “That is definitely something we have to be prepared for,” and justified his rationale with the 2020 trade between two overpaid point guards, John Wall and Russell Westbrook.
Fischer has a point. Historically, this is what happens to players deemed as toxic assets. What Fischer and the NBA missed, however, is that Young is not nearly as negative an asset as Morant and Ball are.
The league is judging Trae Young’s contract too harshly
At 27 years old, Young has still never blossomed into the MVP candidate the Atlanta Hawks dreamed he could be. Still, he isn’t the “albatross” that Fischer and the league deem his contract to be.
In fact, his contract situation couldn’t be better.
Young is on the final guaranteed year of a five-year, $215 million deal, with a player option for the 2026-27 season valued at $49 million. But if the league views Young as this horrible contract, there is little chance any team will have enough interest to entice the Hawks’ franchise man to decline his option.
This gives any potential suitor 1.5 years to integrate Young into the team before committing to a long-term deal. While his contract isn’t attractive to legitimate championship contenders, anyone below this tier could benefit from acquiring Young when his value is at an all-time low and with a chance to negotiate a new deal.
The Hawks shouldn’t look for a Ball or Morant trade, barring a complete breakdown in contract negotiations with Young. These two players are incredibly talented, but their contract value is much less than Young’s – Morant is due an average of $42 million until 2028, and Ball is due an average of $42 million until 2029.
If the Hawks opt to shop Young, they should identify teams that could use him rather than stars who can be easily swapped. The Trail Blazers have a fun, defense-first team with wings and bigs that Atlanta could use. The Los Angeles Clippers desperately need to remain competitive and have some intriguing veterans. The Timberwolves have a serious point guard problem and a surplus of forwards to trade.
If the league views Young as an “albatross,” but the Hawks can’t reach an extension, the team should not trade him for another albatross. Rather, they should look to find a team that can weather a bad contract for just one more season and add role players to kick-start the Jalen Johnson era.