Trae Young Has Wizards As Top Choice With Sides Having 'Traction' On Deal

Trae Young has the Washington Wizards as his preferred destination as he works with the Atlanta Hawks on his exit from the franchise via trade. The Wizards are the only team with known interest in Young at this time.

"There is traction on a deal," said Shams Charania on NBA Today.

The Hawks have also conducted trade talks on other multiple fronts.

Young has a $49 million player option in the offseason that would either make him an expiring contract, or he can opt out and sign elsewhere in free agency while the Hawks would create approximately $40 million in cap space.

Young has been Atlanta's franchise player since 2018 when they traded down from No. 3 with the Dallas Mavericks to select him instead of Luka Doncic. Young led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2022, but the results have been mixed in recent seasons. Young was an All-NBA selection in 2022.

Young missed several weeks earlier this season with a right MCL sprain and is now out with a right quad contusion.

Former Hawks executive Travis Schlenk is now in the front office of the Wizards alongside Michael Winger and Will Dawkins. Young could help bring along the Wizards' young core with his ability to generate offense as a playmaker.