NBA Mock Trade: Hawks reset with Dylan Harper as Trae Young moves to greener pastures out West

With the Atlanta Hawks flooding their roster with youth, Trae Young’s name has regularly been tossed out as a trade candidate. In a recent hypothetical, he is moved to a Western Conference team looking to get back in the title conversation.

Young, 26, is still one of the league’s top offensive point guards. He is coming off a season with the Hawks where he averaged 24.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 11.6 assists. As for his contract, Young is signed through next year and has a player option for the 2027 campaign.

Recently, an NBA fan on Reddit put together a trade for Trae Young to get a change of scenery. He is shipped to the Houston Rockets in a multi-team deal with the San Antonio Spurs. In return, the Hawks receive Fred VanVleet and the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft. As for the Spurs, they acquire picks No. 10 and 13, a second-round pick and Rockets forward Tari Eason.

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Overall, each team walks away with something of value in this deal. The Rockets land a high-level talent that can help them contend in the West. Atlanta embraces a rebuild with Dylan Harper as their new centerpiece in the backcourt. Trading down impacts the Spurs to some degree, but the pair of lottery picks allows them to add even more young talent around their duo of Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox.

Trae Young taking in WNBA action during offseason downtime

After the Atlanta Hawks missed the playoffs for the second straight season, Trae Young finds himself with a long offseason. The All-Star guard recently took a break from his training to get an up-close look at one of the biggest names in women's basketball.

Following an impressive college career at UConn, Paige Bueckers joined the WNBA ranks this year after being drafted No. 1 overall. As she continues to shine at the next level, countless high-profile people have gone to games to see her in action.

On Tuesday night, Bueckers and the Dallas Wings took on the Golden State Valkyries in Commissioner's Cup action. This matchup ended up being a star-studded affair, as Trae Young was courtside to take in the matchup.

Bueckers put together a strong outing with the NBA star courtside, finishing the game with 20 points, four rebounds and two assists. Led by her stellar play, the Wings picked up an 80-71 victory over the Valkyries for their second win of the season.

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About the author

Kevin McCormick

Kevin McCormick is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in journalism and a bachelor's degree in Sports Management Marketing from Holy Family University.

Kevin has worked with various notable outlets throughout his career, including 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, Heavy Sports, and Sports Illustrated/FanNation, before joining Sportskeeda in March 2022.

Specializing in NBA and WNBA coverage, Kevin's passion for basketball stems from his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers. Among his favorite players are Kevin Durant, Chet Holmgren, and Steph Curry, while his all-time favorites include Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Kevin holds Coach K in high regard for the large input he's had on the game helping mold players across multiple generations. Kevin believes the iconic rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson helped elevate the league to its current status.

Through his writing, Kevin provides in-depth analysis and insights into player and coach quotes. He prioritizes sourcing information from credible and reliable outlets.

Kevin enjoys reading, aiming to finish at least one book per month, and he is a big fan of music.

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