NBA
Hawks’ Surge Without Trae Young Sparks Major Trade Talk
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All posts by Antonio KozlowUpdated19 Nov 2025
The Atlanta Hawks have entered a surprising stretch of winning basketball without their franchise star, Trae Young. Atlanta has won seven of its past 10 games and now sits one game out of second place in the Eastern Conference. The most eye-opening development has been the defense. Since Young went down, the Hawks have produced a top-three defensive rating, something that would have sounded impossible just a month ago.
This raises an obvious question: What does this mean for Young’s future?
ESPN Raises the Possibility of a Pivot
On The Hoop Collective podcast, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon suggested the Hawks might want to “see how that looks for another several weeks” before making any decisions. His point was simple: if Atlanta keeps defending at this level and keeps stacking wins, the front office may need to rethink its direction.
That speculation led to a bold hypothetical.
A One-for-One Star Swap
Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report floated a straightforward but dramatic proposal:
Hawks receive: LaMelo Ball
Hornets receive: Trae Young
Matching Young’s $46 million salary is difficult, but Ball’s deal brings Charlotte close enough for the trade to work in theory. Ball is also three years younger, stands 6-foot-7, and provides more size and some defensive resistance.
Offensively, the stars share a similar profile.
Young is a four-time All-Star with career averages of 25 points and 9 assists.
Ball sits at 21 points and 7 assists.
The swap would essentially exchange two high-usage creators with different frames, timelines, and risk profiles.
The Risk and Reward on Both Sides
For Atlanta, the risk is clear: Ball has averaged only 35 games per season over the past three years. He already missed six of Charlotte’s 14 games this season.
Charlotte would gain a more durable star. Young has carried heavy workloads throughout his career and brings immediate offensive punch next to Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, and the rest of the young core. And if the fit fails, Pincus notes that Young’s contract expiration could give the Hornets major cap flexibility.
The Chatter Is Growing
None of this is imminent. It’s theory for now. But the Hawks keep winning without Young, and league observers are taking notice.
If Atlanta continues this surge, expect Young’s name to appear in more trade discussions as the season unfolds.
