Getty Trae Young of the Atlanta Hawks in action against the Houston Rockets.
When the Atlanta Hawks pulled off the blockbuster deal this summer to acquire All-Star guard Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs, it was viewed as a trade that would shake up the Eastern Conference. Pairing Murray with fellow All-Star guard Trae Young seemed like a move that could make the Hawks legit contenders. But so far, the Hawks have been one of the NBA’s biggest disappointments this year. They have a record of 17-16 and are in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings.
With the Hawks on a downward spiral, there has been speculation that Young could request a trade from the franchise if things don’t turn around soon. If he does, sports gambling website Betonline.ag lists the Miami Heat as having the second-best odds to land the All-Star guard, per Shandel Richardson of Sports Illustrated.
“Atlanta Hawks superstar Trae Young could reportedly request a trade if his team doesn’t become a contender,” Richardson writes. “The sports gambling website Betonline.ag listed the Miami Heat as the No. 2 favorite should Young decide to leave Atlanta. The Heat’s odds of landing him are 7-2, only trailing the Dallas Mavericks (5-2).”
‘Rival Executives’ Believe Trae Young Is on Brink of Asking for Trade
Young requesting a trade from the franchise would be a major surprise. Especially because he is just two years removed from taking the Hawks on a miracle playoff run to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost to the eventual NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks.
But since that 2021 playoff run, the Hawks have failed to duplicate that same success. They lost to the Heat in the first round last year winning just one game in the series, and their chances of qualifying for the 2023 playoffs look increasingly grim. Especially with teams like the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks on the uptick.
It is one of the reasons Chris B. Haynes of Bleacher Report says rival executives believe that Young could be the next big star to request a trade.
“Rival executives in attendance at the NBA’s annual G League Winter Showcase are of the belief that Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young could be the next player on a rookie max extension to request a trade if the team doesn’t make inroads come postseason time,” Haynes writes.
“Atlanta has struggled to find the chemistry that propelled it to the Eastern Conference Finals two years ago. Last season, the Hawks won just one playoff game, losing in five games to the Miami Heat.”
There Are Risks Involved in Heat Trading for Trae Young
Young is one of the best players in the league and would be a clear upgrade on offense from Miami’s current starting point guard Kyle Lowry. But there is a risk factor involved in adding him. Young, listed at just 6’1 is a clear liability on defense.
It may not seem like that big of an issue during the 82-game regular season but come playoff time, when he has to go up against the likes of Jrue Holiday, James Harden, and Marcus Smart in the Eastern Conference, the Heat would have a tough time trying to hide him on defense.
But with any trade for a superstar, there are always risks involved. The Heat would have to weigh their options to decide if the potential reward is worth taking the risk.