Trae Young’s Future in Flux: Is the Hawks’ Silence Signaling a Major Rift?

The question becomes: Is Young a max player? If not — and the conventional wisdom around the league is he’s not a full max guy — then what is the number where everyone is happy, both in terms of dollars and years?

“What I’m hearing now, at this point — you can tell by Trae’s Tweet, and I saw him during the Finals — I think he’s disappointed that it hasn’t come, it hasn’t been offered.”Atlanta can offer Young a four-year, 8.6 million max extension right now, but there also is no time crunch from the Hawks’ perspective (the deadline to reach a deal is June 30, 2026). Does Atlanta want to see how things shake out on the court before getting serious with extension talks? More likely, they talk to Young about a two-year contract closer to his current salary (two years, 0-105 million). Whether he’d accept that is the question.There’s some logic to the idea of Young at the point leading this roster, he averaged 24.2 points and 11.6 assists per game last season, shooting 34% from beyond the arc. He also led the league in turnovers with 355 (4.7 per game), and is a minus defender.

Luka Doncic sealed his max extension. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander followed suit with a historic contract, and the Thunder swiftly locked in their key pieces, including Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren. Devin Booker’s new deal is also in the bag. Yet, here we are—Trae Young still waiting, and the wait is wearing on him. A month ago, he was uneasy about the drawn-out process, and now, ESPN’s Marc Spears drops the word: Young’s “disappointed.” You can practically feel that frustration leaking through his tweets and demeanor, especially during the Finals. Atlanta could put a max four-year, 8.6 million offer on the table today, but the Hawks aren’t exactly sweating it—the deadline isn’t until mid-2026. The big question is whether Trae truly merits that max tag. The NBA grapevine seems skeptical, nudging the conversation toward figuring out a middle ground that works for both sides—balancing money with term length. The Hawks aggressively reloaded this offseason—bringing in Kristaps Porzingis for some much-needed rim protection and pick-and-pop pointed partnership, plus adding shooters and lockdown defenders like Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Luke Kennard. Young’s numbers last season—24.2 points and 11.6 assists per game with a 34% three-point clip—make a case for him steering this revamped squad. But turnovers and defensive lapses cloud the picture. Is Atlanta playing it safe, preferring to scope out the on-court chemistry before pushing serious extension talks? Rumors hint toward a shorter, two-year deal near his current salary, but would Young even bite? From where I’m sitting, what Young really craves is a proposal—something to start the dialogue and calm the mercurial impatience showing in his recent support for Cowboys’ Micah Parsons amid contract drama. So, the lingering mystery remains: just how eager are the Hawks to truly engage now? LEARN MORE The question is, how serious are the Hawks about talking at this point?
Trae Young has yet to get his, and he’s growing increasingly frustrated. He was frustrated at the pace of things a month ago.What Young wants is an offer and negotiations as a place to start. You could easily get that vibe out of his support for Dallas Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons and the drama around his contract.ESPN/Andscape’s Marc Spears said Tuesday that Young is “disappointed” that he has yet to be offered a deal. From Spears’ appearance on NBA Today:This why you pay the man early, when someone will take less early to stay in a place he wanted to be forever, you do it… the price only goes up now!
Get what you deserve bro!

The Hawks were aggressive this offseason, retooling their roster into one that could be a top-four team in the East. They traded for Kristaps Porzingis, who brings much-needed shot blocking to Atlanta, and he seems a natural pick-and-pop partner with Young. Nickeil Alexander-Walker brings shooting to the wing, plus he and Dyson Daniels give the Hawks an elite wing defense. Luke Kennard adds even more shooting. And that’s not counting Jalen Johnson getting healthy and Zaccharie Risacher potentially making a leap in his second season.