For the last several seasons, rumors about Trae Young have swirled around the Atlanta Hawks.
These rumors suggested that Young was unhappy with his team and could potentially opt to leave if it didn’t get better.
After a busy offseason, the roster is indeed looking a lot better, but the rumors about Young haven’t disappeared.
Speaking on ESPN, Shams Charania said that Young’s situation with the Hawks is being “closely monitored,” and all eyes are on the offseason of 2026.
“We’re closely monitoring the future and status of Atlanta’s Trae Young. He has two years left on his deal this upcoming season, but he has a player option in 2026. He’s going to be a free agent next summer. It’s going to be a much more flushed market in free agency coming up. This is an Atlanta Hawks team that has made a ton of moves this offseason. They can go several different directions with this team. I would not be surprised if he just waits until the 2026 summer before any decisions on his future,” Charania said, via Evan Sidery.
Rival executives are closely monitoring Trae Young’s future, per @ShamsCharania.
If no extension is agreed upon between Young and the Hawks, he could decide to opt out in 2026 to become an unrestricted free agent.
Young can sign a four-year, $222 million extension with Atlanta. pic.twitter.com/xyv8f8PSTV
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 18, 2025
As noted by Charania and Sidery, Young could choose to become a free agent in 2026, a move that would instantly shake up the entire NBA.
Young would be a target for many teams because he averaged 24.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, and a league-high 11.6 assists per game last season.
Yes, the Hawks still didn’t compete like they wanted to, but they are clearly putting together a nice roster around Young.
And they kept at it during the summer, building an even better lineup via trades.
Young wanted a strong team to play with, and he’s got one now, but that doesn’t guarantee success.
However, the East might be wide open in 2025-26, which means the Hawks could do better than they have in years.
But the first signs of trouble will lead to more rumors about Young, and you can bet that people will assume he is leaving Atlanta.
This upcoming season is going to be crucial for the franchise.
They could impress and climb high in the Eastern Conference standings, or they could fall short again and jeopardize their relationship with Young.
NEXT: Trae Young Gets Honest About Summer League Fan Interactions
