When the Atlanta Hawks were attempting to trade Trae Young, they found out quickly that being a multi-time All-Star didn’t demand the type of return that their accolades would suggest. Half a year after the Memphis Grizzlies traded Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for a package that included four first-round picks, a starting-caliber player and a rotation-level player, the Hawks sent Young to the Washington Wizards in a deal that brought CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. No draft picks were exchanged.

As it turns out, this was simply the route that Atlanta chose to take, not one that they were forced to.

Raptors Offer To Hawks For Trae Young Revealed

Last season, the Toronto Raptors made a bid for Young prior to the trade deadline. In their proposed trade package, they offered starting point guard Immanuel Quickley and draft capital, per The Stein Line insider Jake Fischer:

“Sources say that Toronto actually offered a package built around Quickley and draft capital for Young before last February’s trade deadline and maintained a level of interest in Young this season. Yet sources say that the Hawks had no interest in a Quickley-headlined package given the future money he’s owed. The Hawks staunchly prioritized the ample flexibility they now have… by taking back CJ McCollum’s expiring $30.7 million salary as the key return in their Young deal.”

Why The Raptors Were Considering Trae Young

On the surface, the Raptors’ interest in Young is a head-scratcher.

He’s a ball-dominant playmaker who would arguably take the ball out of Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and RJ Barrett‘s hands. Perhaps even more than he put it in them. Furthermore, their efforts to build camaraderie, chemistry and continuity has helped them climb to fourth in the East. As has their defense, Toronto ranking top-five in both opponent’s points per game (112.2) and defensive rating (113.0). Their .590 win percentage is the highest that they’ve had this decade.

Of course, the Raptors didn’t know that they’d be this good at this time last year. In fact, Ingram wasn’t even on the roster yet, having been traded on Feb. 6. Additionally, Quickley’s season ended in early January thanks to myriad injuries.

So, at the time, Young actually would have made sense. He would have helped organize the offense that was missing a seasoned lead ball-handler. He could have provided a much-needed scoring boost for a team that was 23rd in points per game (110.9). It doesn’t hurt that he has a reputation as a dangerous 3-point threat given Barnes and Barrett’s struggles in that area.

In 2025-26, Quickley has already played more games this season (38) than he did in 2024-25 (33). However, he hasn’t lived up to expectations as a shooter or defender. As a result, Toronto’s still being linked to a point guard on the trade market, though this time it’s Grizzlies star Ja Morant. Yet, Morant doesn’t make sense for the Raptors for many of the same reasons that Young doesn’t.

What Will The Hawks Do With Their Cap Space In 2026?

Clearly, the Hawks preferred to get cap relief over draft capital if they were going to trade Young. With that in mind, after moving off of his contract, they were able to create $30 million in projected cap space (h/t Third Apron salary cap analyst Yossi Gozlan). Even without making other moves, that could be enough to sign a star-caliber player.

The most visible free agent available will be Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James, who could entertain a one-year deal with the Hawks. Lakers guard Austin Reaves and Indiana Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin come to mind as players that can bolster their scoring. Given their internal questions about the future of their center position, they could even target young big men like Walker Kessler (Utah Jazz), Mark Williams (Phoenix Suns) or Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons).