TA: The Hawks have no intention of renewing the contract with star player Trae Young in advance, hoping to observe and evaluate the performance of the new season first
2025-10-17 08:43
According to a joint report by TA reporters Fred Katz and Joe Vardon on Thursday, the Atlanta Hawks currently have no intention of renewing the contract with star player Trae Young before the start of the 2025/26 season.
Trae Young, 27, primarily plays point guard and was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the fifth overall pick in the 2018 draft. He has appeared in 483 regular-season games for the Hawks, averaging 25.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per game, and has been selected to the All-Star team four times.
Trae Young is entering the final year of his current contract and has a player option worth approximately $49 million for the 2026-27 season. He is eligible to sign a four-year, $229 million extension this summer, but the Hawks have yet to make a move.
Veteran NBA reporter Mark Spears previously revealed that the Hawks and Trae Young "have not actually conducted any substantive negotiations on a contract extension." Katz and Walden said that the Hawks' move was based on strategic considerations: after introducing several new players such as Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard, they hope to first observe and evaluate the new lineup's running-in and season performance to decide the timing of Trae Young's contract renewal.
Having yet to receive a contract extension, Trae Young could no longer conceal his disappointment with the Hawks. However, when asked if he had played his last game in Atlanta, Young stated, "My journey with the Hawks isn't over yet. I love Atlanta." Various signs indicate that he isn't considering leaving the Hawks for the time being.
