Trading a franchise player for what many around the league view as a surprisingly light return is a brutal reality check—especially when that player is still in his prime. Yet that was the scene in Atlanta, as Trae Young was moved midgame with State Farm Arena full of fans wearing his jersey and chanting his name, stunned by how abruptly the Hawks closed the book on their star.

The shock wasn’t just that Young was traded—it was how the market valued him in the end. The muted return sparked widespread debate about Trae’s standing across the league, and it even drew a blunt assessment from an unlikely voice: a former Chicago Bulls champion who knows a thing or two about star hierarchies and hard truths in the NBA.

It was a big shocker in the NBA world, not just because of the nature of the trade, but also because reports suggested that no takers for Young emerged in the market, except for the Wizards. When a fan expressed his bewilderment over the reports of the Brooklyn Nets turning down Young’s interest in them, “Have you watched the last few seasons?” Michael Jordan’s former Bulls teammate, Ron Harper, jumped in.

It seemed in the beginning that Harper was taking a shot at Young, but minutes later, he made his stance clear. After the fan checked him, Harper had some context to add.

“I never said Trae was bad but the Hawks never put better players around him and going to Washington is not better!!!” he wrote.

While Harper is right to an extent, the boiling point, at least in the built narrative, was his defense. Trae is an exceptional offensive player (although some might disagree), but he was a big liability on defense.

The Hawks had to either constantly cover for him or protect him from being baited. Statistically, they were significantly bad with Young on the floor.

What does the shocking trade mean for Trae Young and the Hawks?

Let’s all agree that the trade didn’t even sniff the borders of a blockbuster, and while Atlanta gave him up for much less, it was disrespectful for Young. Yes, nobody is expecting the reverberations of this trade for the Hawks, but the trade opens a whole lot of future outcomes for both Young and his former team.

There is a unanimous agreement that the Hawks could have secured at least a first-round or a second-round pick in the trade. Atlanta clearly believed in its future without its former franchise player, and nobody believes that securing an old CJ McCollum was for their immediate future.

McCollum could bring some scoring momentum and an additional ball-handling responsibility. On his best night, Kispert can be an average defender on a roster.

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So, the Hawks gave up a franchise player for two additional scoring options, and no defensive addition. Is it better? Yes, but just for this season. Atlanta got better to an extent that, at best, it can make the playoffs and win some games, but it doesn’t give them an immediate leap.

It was all about their future. McCollum is on an expiring deal, and the Hawks could either sign him to a smaller deal or not sign him to pull off some blockbuster.

The Hawks are betting on their young core to re-energize themselves, at the very least, by the next season. In Young’s absence, Jalen Johnson’s ascension has been exceptional, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker has quickly proven that he is much more than the Timberwolves initially used him for, an underrated scorer.

So far, the Hawks were 16-13 without Trae Young, which was clearly better than 2-8 with him. But the decision to part ways with him wasn’t immediate.

In the last four seasons, the Hawks made the playoffs twice (exited in the first round on both occasions), and in the last two years, they failed to make the postseason. It did seem like Young was clearly not working out for them.

Given how the league almost showed no interest in Young should be a shocker for him too. However, Washington could be a place where his game could shine. The Wizards have good players, such as Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George, rookie Tre Johnson, and a few other promising young guys.

They need a playmaker like Young, who can get them into better shooting positions. If he can be a good influence on their development, Washington could be a home for him.