The Atlanta Hawks have been playing strong basketball without Trae Young in the lineup. Young has played in just five games this season due to a knee injury. Even without Young, the Hawks are seventh in the Eastern Conference standings.
With Young sidelined, Atlanta has the eighth-best defense in the NBA. Young is notorious for being one of the worst defenders in the league. While their offense is below average, that defensive improvement is helping them stay in it in the East.
A wild trade proposal from Bleacher Report has the Hawks swap out Young for James Harden and some draft compensation that could really help them years down the line.
GettyJames Harden dribbles the ball. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Hawks Swap Trae Young for James Harden in Wild Trade Proposal
Here is the full trade proposal:
Los Angeles Clippers Receive: Trae Young
Atlanta Hawks Receive: James Harden, Brook Lopez, 2030 first-round pick, 2031 first-round swap
While Harden is much older, he is usually pretty durable in the regular season. He played 72+ games in each of the last two years. Getting Brook Lopez back would some insurance on Kristaps Porzingis‘ continuing injury problems, which is needed.
The prize in this trade is adding two future first-round picks. If Atlanta doesn’t want to give Young a supermax contract extension this offseason, this is a good way to make sure they don’t lose him for nothing. It also keeps their core team intact, which has been playing well with Young out of the lineup.
Atlanta fans love Young, which could be a complicating factor to trading him. They also traded up to draft Young instead of Luka Doncic, which is a tough pill to swallow. Yet, this is a package that could benefit the team this season and in a few years when they need some top draft picks.
GettyTrae Young drives the ball. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images)
Trae Young Might Not Be a Long-Term Fit in Atlanta
This stretch of games has allowed the organization to see how it would be able to function without Young in the picture. It’s tough not to say that they are in a better spot than they are with him in the lineup. Players don’t seem to love playing with Young because of his shot choices.
Yet, it’s undeniable that Young can break down a defense. Last season, he led the NBA in assists. This season, all of his numbers are down from what they were a year ago, although he’s played just five games. In those five games, he had posted the best assist-to-turnover ratio of his career.
Harden is a similar player to Young in terms of having a high usage rate, but he’s not the turnstile on defense that Young is. His bigger body would prevent teams from picking on him in the pick-and-roll at the top of the key. That would keep their defense playing well enough in this scenario.
Young is perhaps the most interesting star player to keep an eye on before the trade deadline rolls around in February.
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