The NBA trade deadline is officially one month away, so naturally, the rumour mill has started to pick up steam.
Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young has been a constant topic of trade discussions in recent weeks, and Young and his agents are now working with the franchise on a trade, ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Monday.
Both parties have maintained positive dialogue on Young's future ever since the franchise elected not to offer him a contract extension last summer, and now they are working together to on a trade, Charania added.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported that the Washington Wizards have emerged as a "legitimate potential trade destination" for the four-time all-star.
Stein added that a deal between the Southeast Division rivals would be centred around CJ McCollum's expiring contract going back to Atlanta from Washington.
Young has battled both injuries and dwindling production this season, having missed all but 10 games while averaging 19.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, 8.9 assists and 1.0 steals on 41.5/30.5/86.3 per cent shooting splits. Those are the 27-year-old's lowest scoring and assist averages since he was a rookie in 2018-19.
Young is under contract for $45.9 million this season and has a player option worth $48.9 million in 2026-27 that he could decline in order to explore free agency.
Underscoring the ongoing saga is that the Hawks have fared better without the former fifth-overall pick in the lineup this season — 2-8 with Young and 15-12 without him.
Jalen Johnson has ascended into all-star form in Year 5, nearly averaging a triple-double (24.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 8.5 assists), while off-season acquisition Nickeil Alexander-Walker has more than doubled his scoring output — to 20.7 points per game — from last season as a go-to player on both ends of the floor.
As for McCollum, the veteran guard has been a consistent presence in Washington this season as he's yet to miss a game for the 9-25 squad. He's averaged 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists on 44.9/39.2/80.0 per cent shooting splits through his 34 appearances.
But at 34 years old, he doesn't necessarily fit the otherwise youngster-laden Wizards' timeline and is owed $30.6 million this season before unrestricted free agency in the summer.
Swapping two players, who could potentially be nothing more than rentals, poses risks, but could also be exactly what both teams need moving forward. The Hawks would certainly welcome McCollum's availability, consistent production and veteran presence as they look to climb out of the middling zone of the Eastern Conference.
As for the Wizards, they've got a handful of promising wings and a high-upside talent in Alex Sarr, but have little in the point guard pipeline aside from Bub Carrington. Adding Young to be the set-up man next to the likes of Sarr, Kyshawn George, Bilal Coulibaly and Co. could be the high-risk swing the Wizards need to get out of the doldrums of the East.
Only time will tell what comes of the situation, and with the NBA's trade deadline set for Feb. 5, a resolution may come sooner rather than later.
