Moderators: dms269, HMFFL, Jamaaliver
jayu70 wrote:Why this season is so important for Trae Young and the Hawks
Young, who has a $49 million player option for next season, wants to show Atlanta he is a superstar talent worth the four-year, $229 million max extension he is eligible for.
But in this restrictive second-apron era, Atlanta will wait on an extension. By waiting, the Hawks can see how things go with this retooled roster and still maintain flexibility in case things don't go well, giving them the option to take a new route and build around a promising young core of developing talent. The Hawks and Kristaps Porzingis are also going to wait on a potential extension and see how this season goes.
For Young, the All-Star can explore his options next summer if he does not get an extension later this season. That means he'll have to get used to not having control of his immediate future.
"I think it's going to be great. I'm not worried about it," Young told ESPN when asked about entering the season without an extension.
Jamaaliver wrote:jayu70 wrote:Why this season is so important for Trae Young and the Hawks
Young, who has a $49 million player option for next season, wants to show Atlanta he is a superstar talent worth the four-year, $229 million max extension he is eligible for.
But in this restrictive second-apron era, Atlanta will wait on an extension. By waiting, the Hawks can see how things go with this retooled roster and still maintain flexibility in case things don't go well, giving them the option to take a new route and build around a promising young core of developing talent. The Hawks and Kristaps Porzingis are also going to wait on a potential extension and see how this season goes.
For Young, the All-Star can explore his options next summer if he does not get an extension later this season. That means he'll have to get used to not having control of his immediate future.
"I think it's going to be great. I'm not worried about it," Young told ESPN when asked about entering the season without an extension.
I really am nervous about the next 7 months -- probably the most nervous since that 2018 draft night.
What plays out over the next season+ will dictate what direction this franchise goes in for the next decade.
I'm honestly unsure what will happen...or even what I want to happen.
jayu70 wrote:Jamaaliver wrote:jayu70 wrote:
I really am nervous about the next 7 months -- probably the most nervous since that 2018 draft night.
What plays out over the next season+ will dictate what direction this franchise goes in for the next decade.
I'm honestly unsure what will happen...or even what I want to happen.
Things change quickly in the NBA, so I'm just gonna enjoy this season.
Unless it goes completely off the rails.
jayu70 wrote:jayu70 wrote:Jamaaliver wrote:
I really am nervous about the next 7 months -- probably the most nervous since that 2018 draft night.
What plays out over the next season+ will dictate what direction this franchise goes in for the next decade.
My only nervousness would be being so bad we gift SAS a top pick.
RealGM WiretapTrae Young, Hawks Yet To Make Progress On Extension Amid Value Questions
The Atlanta Hawks have not made progress on extension talks with Trae Young, who is potentially in the final season of his contract before he can test free agency, sources told ESPN. Young is set to earn $46 million this season and holds a $49 million player option for next season.
Determining Young's market value has proven difficult for the organization. The four-time All-Star led the league in assists per game last season at 11.6, but the Hawks have averaged just 40 wins over the past four years and haven't finished above .500 since 2021-22.
A maximum extension would cost Atlanta approximately $230 million over four years, averaging $58 million annually. The Hawks currently have no other max players on their books and must also consider $55 million in combined commitments to Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels starting next year, plus center Kristaps Porzingis's impending free agency.
ESPNNBA intel
Trae Young | Atlanta Hawks
2025-26: 17.8 PPG (37.1 FG%), 7.8 APG, 27.8 MPG
Contract: Year 4 of five-year, $215 million deal
Windhorst: Young is on the final guaranteed year of his contract ($46 million) but has a player option next season for $49 million. He is the Hawks' franchise player. They can sign him to an extension at any time, sources told ESPN that those talks haven't progressed.
That is likely because it's hard to determine a market value for Young. He's a four-time All-Star and led the league in assists per game (11.6) last season. Over the past four years being built primarily around Young, the Hawks have averaged a modest 40 wins and haven't been over .500 since 2021-22.
With that data, the $55 million combined owed to young cornerstones Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels starting next year and the impending free agency of center Kristaps Porzingis, the Hawks are being cautious. Young makes the max, and another such deal would mean about $230 million over four years, an average of $58 million. The Hawks currently have no other max players on their books.
"The Hawks have been making smart decisions as a front office and they have done a nice job judging value on their players," a Western Conference executive said. "Trae's agent will spend the next few months working to figure out what his market is, and the Hawks will do their due diligence too, determining what the competition is. And in the end, we'll see who has the best information."
Young, unfortunately, is out for a month with a sprained knee suffered last week. This is bad news for the Hawks, though there was relief that he avoided a worse injury, but the rest of the league is watching. If the Hawks offense suffers badly without their longtime playmaking engine, it could create some leverage for Young and his potential next deal. If the younger Hawks keep their heads above water, it might inform decision-making in the other direction.
Bontemps: Atlanta is in perhaps the most interesting situation of these teams. Because of the Pelicans' pick that is headed their way, and the amount of young talent -- from Johnson to Daniels to last year's No. 1 pick, Zaccharie Risacher -- already on the roster, the Hawks can afford to sit back and see how this plays out and then determine what direction they want to go.
Atlanta has gone 3-1 since Young went down (though two of those wins came against bottom-feeding Brooklyn and Indiana), and more reps for Johnson as an on-ball creator will speed up his development.
"Atlanta is good enough to keep Trae and be good and make the playoffs," an East executive said. "But with the pick and Jalen, Dyson and Zach, they'll at least pick up the phone and listen when called."
But, as another executive laid out, Atlanta doesn't have another high-level proven shot creator on its roster. And the Hawks have surrounded Young with long athletes to offset his defensive deficiencies.
"It's an interesting situation," a Western Conference executive said. "That team is entirely built around him, and his skill set, and I don't see another team that's going to pay $50 million to bring him in [on a max deal next summer].
"He's the engine that makes that ship go. It will be interesting to see what it looks like there without him."
