Trae Young’s Shocking Decision: Why He’s Ready to Walk Away from Hawks This Summer

“Yet league sources tell me there are no plans for Young and the Hawks to engage in extension talks this summer. This, though, does not necessarily come as a surprise… Sources say Young’s side has actually been resigned for some time to the prospect of seeing out the final guaranteed year on his current contract rather than securing an extension, like his current contract, worth in excess of 0 million. He’d then have to make a decision about his million player option for 2026-27.”

Young remains an elite offensive player who averaged 24.2 points and a league-high 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.Atlanta was aggressive this offseason in retooling its roster. They traded for Kristaps Porzingis, who brings much-needed shot blocking to Atlanta. The Hawks sign-and-traded for Nickeil Alexander-Walker to add shooting and more defense on the wing. The Hawks went out and got Luke Kennard. Add in Jalen Johnson’s return to health, along with the potential of a Zaccharie Risacher leap in his second season, and the Hawks look like a potential top-four team in the East.Next June, the Hawks also have the Pelicans’ first-round pick unprotected (part of New Orleans trading up in this year’s draft to get Derik Queen). If New Orleans struggles this season — a genuine possibility — this could end up being a high draft pick in a deep draft at the top, which could have Atlanta tweaking its vision for the future.To be clear, Young isn’t looking to leave the Hawks and they aren’t looking to trade him.The one area Atlanta was not aggressive this summer: Talking contract extension with Trae Young. While that may leave Young frustrated, both sides appear resigned to the idea of Young playing out this season on his current contract and figuring out the future next summer, reports Jake Fischer at The Stein Line.

For Young, he can turn his frustration into an opportunity — if the four-time All-Star can spark the Hawks’ offense and lead this team to a high seed and a playoff run, his value goes up heading into the next round of negotiations (with the threat of him becoming a free agent and just walking away looming). However it plays out, it looks more and more like Young will not be joining Luka Doncic, De’Aaron Fox and other stars who signed extensions this summer.Atlanta’s been busy—no doubt about that. They’ve hustled to reshape their squad, snapping up Kristaps Porzingis to shore up that defense and adding savvy shooters and wing defenders like Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard. Throw in Jalen Johnson bouncing back healthy and the intriguing upside of Zaccharie Risacher stepping up in Year 2, and you’ve got a team that’s not just participating—they’re aiming squarely for a top-four spot in the East. Yet, amidst all this activity, one glaring silence stands out: no contract talks with Trae Young. Surprising? Maybe a bit. But both sides seem content, for now at least, to let Young play out this season under his existing deal and tackle extension talks next summer—with plenty at stake when you consider Porzingis hitting free agency and Young’s looming million player option for 2026-27. It’s a high-stakes chess game wrapped in patience, risk, and big money moves. And while Young isn’t itching to bolt, and Atlanta’s not shopping him, the looming possibility of him opting out and walking away does keep everyone on edge. There’s a lot riding on how this season unfolds—if Young can elevate the Hawks and push them deep into the playoffs, suddenly that waiting game could tilt in his favor. For now, it’s a fascinating standoff that’s anything but boring. LEARN MOREThis is a matter of the Atlanta organization wanting to play this season out with this improved roster, see what things look like and how it all meshes, and then make financial commitments next summer, when Porzingis will be a free agent and Young can opt out of the .9 million final year of his contract and hit the market as well. The risk for the Hawks is that Young opts out and signs elsewhere, and they lose him for nothing, which is why some league sources have suggested the Hawks should offer a shorter extension (two years, around 0 million). However, considering how tight the free agent market has been in the apron era, Atlanta may be willing to take that risk.