The current era of the Atlanta Hawks began in 2018, with the draft of Trae Young, who was traded by the Mavericks for Luka Doncic (but that’s another story). The point guard quickly established himself as one of the most talented players of his generation and was expected to turn his team into a contender.
Three years later, the Hawks reached the conference finals, knocking out the Philadelphia 76ers led by Joel Embiid before falling with honor to the Bucks and a dominant Giannis Antetokounmpo. It seemed like the good times were back for the Georgia franchise. Except…
…except that four years later, Atlanta have not won a single playoff series, have suffered back-to-back play-in eliminations, and despite a talented and deep roster, remain stuck in the middle of the pack in their conference. Apparently, the franchise has had enough and seem ready to make major changes.
Trae Young, the perfect scapegoat
According to the well-known Marc Stein, for the first time, the franchise is open to trading Trae Young. The relationship between the point guard and the front office has reportedly been rocky for several months. At the end of the season, "Ice Trae" will have to choose between picking up a $49 million player option or declining it and becoming a free agent. With the salary cap rising, he could easily land a massive contract.
The real issue lies in the reasons for this potential trade. First, the numbers: since returning from injury, Trae Young has played five games, and the Hawks have lost all five. Worse, they’ve given up at least 125 points in each loss, including a staggering 152 against the Bulls.
So, the blame falls squarely on him, as this losing streak turned the Hawks’ record from positive to negative, and Atlanta now sit 10th in the East. Even more telling, the defensive rating says it all: 115.9 without Trae Young, 122.1 with him on the court! And that is despite having Dyson Daniels alongside him, last season’s Defensive Player Of the Year finalist and by far the NBA’s top ball thief (over 3 steals per game last year).
Still, the defensive shortcomings, to put it mildly, of the all-star point guard have been well known for a long time. They were already a talking point at the time of his draft, with real doubts he would ever improve in that area. And that is exactly how it is played out. Complaining about it now seems a bit late. On top of that, he’s only played ten games this season and is posting his worst stats since his rookie year. Which means this is probably the worst possible time to trade him…
The Risacher situation
But "Ice Trae" is not the only one under fire. In the 2024 offseason, the Hawks lucked into the first pick in the draft, though it was widely considered the weakest class in recent memory. Many names were floated, but in the end, Zaccharie Risacher was selected. A long forward, good three-point shooter, solid defender, he was expected to develop quietly on a mid-table team.
Apparently, the Hawks had higher expectations for him: again according to Marc Stein, Atlanta is considering moving their No. 1 pick as a trade asset. It’s almost laughable to consider dumping your own top draft pick after just 18 months, especially when it’s well known that many players make a leap in their third NBA season.
It’s also common for players to stagnate in their second year. That’s the case here, as Risacher has seen his scoring average drop from 12.6 to 10.7. The real issue probably lies elsewhere. As mentioned, the 2024 draft is undoubtedly the weakest of the last five years, as shown by the caliber of recent first picks: Cade Cunningham (2021), Paolo Banchero (2022), Victor Wembanyama (2023), and Cooper Flagg (2025). Clearly, Risacher is the least accomplished player among them.
But he also came in with the lowest expectations. On top of that, he didn’t land on a rebuilding team, but on a supposed playoff contender that wanted immediate impact. To make matters worse, Jalen Johnson, a rival at the forward spot, has broken out, which has inevitably limited Risacher’s opportunities.
Still, it’s worth asking what exactly the Hawks expected from Risacher. He’s often compared to Wembanyama, another Frenchman and No. 1 pick, but the two are nothing alike in terms of playing style or expectations. The comparison does him no favors, and being pigeonholed as a "catch'n'shooter" doesn’t help either. Once again, is it really wise to trade him when his stats are down?
What’s next?
It’s understandable that the Hawks might want to move on from Trae Young. Especially since Nickeil Alexander-Walker is having a strong season. But the first trade rumors are surprising: Atlanta is reportedly targeting… Anthony Davis to bolster the roster.
A collateral victim of the famous Luka Doncic trade (bringing things full circle), Davis remains a force for points and rebounds… and injuries, having played only 16 games this season and currently sidelined after getting hurt in the Christmas Game.
But here’s the catch: the Mavericks have zero interest in swapping Trae Young for Davis. For one, they’re eagerly awaiting the return of Kyrie Irving from injury, and for another, Young’s defensive limitations don’t appeal to contenders.
Some teams have been mentioned, like the Kings, but it seems the Hawks are looking for a power forward to slot between Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu. With a backcourt of Alexander-Walker - Daniels, the starting five would look solid, but probably not strong enough to contend for a title - or, even realistically, to get past the first round of the playoffs.
So, it raises the question: does Atlanta simply want to offload Trae Young to avoid re-signing him to a massive deal? Last summer, the point guard was eligible for a four-year, $222 million extension (54.5 million per year), but the franchise never offered it. In hindsight, that looks like a clear sign they weren’t planning to see things through with him.
As for Risacher, it’s still unclear whether the franchise truly wants to use him to land a big name, or if this is just a warning to show that being a No. 1 pick doesn’t make him untouchable. The Frenchman is still far from being one of the biggest busts in NBA draft history, and trading him midway through his second season would set a dangerous precedent.
The Hawks are 10th in the East, but only three wins away from a direct playoff spot. Nothing is lost yet, and the roster still has quality, but saying goodbye to the cornerstone of the project and/or the player meant to revitalize it seems like a desperate move to jolt a franchise that had high hopes in 2021 but now appears to have missed its window. Will this gamble pay off?