The Atlanta Hawks mortgaged their future in the summer of 2022 when they gave up several first-round picks for Dejounte Murray. So far, it hasn’t worked out too well for them despite having a healthy roster majority of the season. As the Hawks sit just one game above .500, rumors of Trae Young wanting out of Atlanta are starting to generate. Given his agent is Rich Paul from Klutch Sports, the likelihood of Young being traded from an unhappy situation is significantly higher than if any other agency represented him.

“I think Trae will want out after the season. The Hawks probably try to get out of John Collins and others by the deadline, but Trae’s a long shot. Maybe the [Lakers] in July with his ties to Klutch [Sports],” the NBA source explained.” – NBA SOURCE VIA CLUTCH POINTS

Trae Young To Chicago Trade Package

Bulls Trade: Zach LaVine, Lonzo Ball, 2023 Portland Pick, Protected 2029 First-Round Pick

Hawks Trade: Trae Young, Clint Capela

Not all stars are made equal. Zach LaVine and Trae Young are All-Stars in this league, but Young is several tiers above LaVine. Young took the Atlanta Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals as the number one option on his team. LaVine, as the primary leader, failed to make the playoffs until DeMar DeRozan came into the picture, which had LaVine naturally move to the second option. Currently, Lonzo Ball doesn’t have much value around the league. Even if he plays most of the games next season, his value has diminished since no team can trust his health for the long term. The Hawks are in win-now mode sitting in the eighth seed in the east, with most of their trade capital spent on Murray. By swapping Young for LaVine, they remain competitive and could build around LaVine and Murray. As Lonzo gets healthy next season, the Hawks will have a lethal backcourt on both ends. Hawks get their satisfaction of collecting a haul for Young by acquiring two protected first-round picks.

The Chicago Bulls lose a playmaker in Lonzo Ball and an elite scorer in Zach LaVine for a player who can do both of those things at the highest level in Trae Young. The Bulls could put their metaphorical foot down on the pedal and build around a bonafide superstar like Trae Young. The United Center will erupt every night as Young will bring a different energy to the city. The Bulls would also address their most significant flaw with rebounding and interior defense by adding Clint Capela.

Whether or not Trae Young requests for trade remains to be unseen. However, as the Hawks continue to struggle despite their efforts to improve, Young’s patience could be dwindling, which is when Rich Paul tends to rise again.