Trae Young believes in trade to Washington Wizards: ‘The city can revive me as much as I can revive it’

WASHINGTON – Tears were rolling down Trae Young’s face as he drove to the Atlanta Hawks’ home arena on Wednesday knowing it was likely for the last time.

Despite being sidelined to injury, Young took some sentimental shots on the floor before the Hawks’ win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night. The four-time NBA All-Star’s expectations became reality as news broke of his trade to the Washington Wizards during the game. And in the final seconds, the Hawks’ all-time leader in 3-pointers and assists walked off the State Farm Arena floor for the last time with a new chapter in Washington up next.

“It hit me driving to the arena in Atlanta,” Young told Andscape on Friday night from Capital One Arena prior to the Wizards’ game against the Pelicans. “I figured it was going to happen that night or at some point that day just from talking to my agent. I literally started crying on my way to the arena, just knowing it’s my last drive probably, because they’re [Hawks] going on the West Coast anyway.

“So, whether it happened that day or whatever, that was the only time I even cried throughout the whole thing was on my drive to the arena. That was the only time it was really emotional. Just knowing that it was my last time driving to the arena, that’s why I went out and shot. Nobody probably expected me to go out there. I didn’t go to shootaround. So, I went out there and that was my way of being able to say it’s over and I’m good with it.”

Young was officially traded to the Wizards on Friday from Atlanta for veteran guards CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Young was the fifth overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft and averaged 25.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game in 493 regular-season contests. The highlight of his Hawks days was leading the franchise to the 2021 Eastern Conference finals. Young has averaged 19.3 points and 8.9 assists in 10 games this season and has missed six straight games and likely more to come with a right quad contusion and right knee MCL sprain.

Young is in the fourth year of a five-year, $215 million max contract with a player option of $49 million for next season. The Hawks declined to offer Young a contract extension prior to the trade. The expectation is that the Young and the Wizards will come to a contract extension agreement in the offseason, but time will tell. The young and rebuilding Wizards have not been to the postseason since 2021 and have a 10-27 record this season.

The way Young sees it, perhaps he and the Wizards need each other for a revival.

“That could be another reason why I’m here. We revive each other,” Young said. “The city can revive me as much as I can revive it. That’s a big reason why I want to come here. I want to be an impactful person and player everywhere I go. So, as much as I’m going to try to revive the city, I need the city and this team to give me as much as we’re going to give them.”

The following is a Q&A with Young exclusively with Andscape in which he reflects on his time with the Hawks with no regrets, not being offered a contract extension in Atlanta, his connections to Wizards general manager Will Dawkins and senior vice-president of player personnel Travis Schlenk, who drafted him in Atlanta, when he knew it was time for change, and more.

When you got on the Wizards team plane to Washington on Thursday morning, you’re flying away from Atlanta to Washington, D.C. You get on the jet and Wizards general manager Will Dawkins is there and Travis Schlenk. Tell me your emotions being on that plane when it departs Atlanta?

I had some bittersweet emotions. It was exciting. It was sad because, obviously, when I got drafted, I didn’t plan on ever having to leave. Growing up in Oklahoma where I’m from, you got to be loyal. And so, I wanted to always be there [in Atlanta]. And then it felt like with [Schlenk] picking me up, it was just natural. It felt like it was supposed to be this way, to be honest with you. Travis being the one that’s there picking me up, you know what I’m saying? It was only right. So, it was good though.

When did you first hear Washington was a trade option and what was your reaction?

My agent [Aaron Mintz] hit me and told me. Him and [Hawks general manager] Onsi [Saleh] started working out things. So, I remember it was a few weeks ago. When I heard that there were people there I knew from [the Hawks] and that have known me since I was a kid, it felt like a no-brainer. After all the stuff that was coming out being fake, you want to be around people that know who you are because that’s where you’ll be the most successful.

When did you realize it was probably time to part with the Hawks?

To be honest with you, I wanted to be able to help both sides. And to be honest, I didn’t even want to get it to my player option this summer to do that because that could end up leaving Atlanta with nothing. As much as people wanted to say [otherwise], I didn’t even want to put that in the air.

So, I wanted to give the first half of the season of chance. And me and [Hawks forward] Kristaps [Porzingis] being injured and stuff, it just felt like the right time. And [Hawks forward] Jalen [Johnson] has been balling and I was always helping and wanting to get him the ball, too. So, I just felt like it was time. And I always wanted to leave on the right note, too.

While you were growing up a Thunder fan living in Norman, Oklahoma, you saw the turmoil that came with Kevin Durant leaving the Thunder to sign with the Golden State Warriors in free agency in 2016. Was that in the back of your mind in terms of making sure that you left Atlanta in a positive way?

For sure. I definitely wanted to leave the right way. I didn’t know how it would be. I don’t know if there’s necessarily the right way to leave anytime. But I feel like if there was, this was the most right way for me to leave. And yeah, no bad blood between either side.

During your Wizards introduction presser, it sounded like you planned on being here long-term. You have a player option for next season. Is that your mentality to be in Washington long-term?

That’s the thing. I’m obviously always where my feet are, especially now. My feet are all here right now. I obviously have a player option this summer. I just want to enjoy the city. Right now, who knows what that would be? It’s a good chance. You never know if I’ll be here or not. But for me, I like the people around here, obviously. Really, really like the people around here from front office, all those guys being from OKC and the people I just met around here. But I want to figure out more about the city and stuff like that before I even want to get thinking about that. I want to just be around my teammates and all that stuff before an extension.

You put out an interesting statement on your social media posts reflecting on your exit from the Hawks. What was your thought process in writing it and what did you feel was important to get out in that?

I wanted to get that out so I didn’t have to address it later on after I was done and actually officially here. I wanted to let that chapter be its chapter and then move on and then be here. So, that’s why I got that out before everything else. I just wanted to end that chapter.

Did it upset or disappoint you that the Hawks never offered you a contract extension?

It was more disappointing, but that’s part of it. It didn’t make me mad. It did make me sad. It was more disappointing. You wish it could have worked out and stuff, but that’s life. Maybe that not working out could be the blessing in disguise.

This franchise has historically had some great guards. John Wall is being honored by the Wizards soon. I don’t know if you’re familiar what it’s like here when it’s electric. With your game and combined with D.C.’s love for basketball, what would you like to say to the people here because you got the game to bring it back?

That’s the plan. I want to bring it back to the way it was. I remember [Wall] getting announced in the starting lineups and him doing his dance. All those people in the crowd and it being sold out. The first thing I thought of when I walked into the arena was we got to get this place sold out and make it a tough place to play.

Obviously, there could have been some other places you could have been traded to. What did you like about the Wizards roster?

I looked at it as kind of similar to the situation I came in as a rookie. But I’m 27 years old now. I’m a vet and I know a lot. I know how to bring these young guys along maybe a little bit faster than what they have even been expected to in their games. I want to surprise people. I don’t even want to talk too much about it. I want people to be surprised when they see how much I bring out of these younger guys and the potential that they have. I’m just trying to speed up that potential as much as I can each day.

What do you even know about Washington, D.C., at this point as a city?

Not much besides a lot of different places you can visit, museums, monuments, things like that.

When you look back at Atlanta, what are you most proud of and is there anything you would change if you could go back?

The thing I’m most proud of is really the impact I had on the kids and the next generation. Every time I was out in the city or I’m at kid events or whatever, I really feel like they did look up to me. And they do look up to me still. And hopefully they become Wizards fans as much as they did in Atlanta. As much as I’ve done and taking the franchise the closest they’ve ever been to the finals in Atlanta, I was more excited and prouder of helping kids around the city of Atlanta.

Would I change anything? I wouldn’t change anything. I’m glad everything happened the way it did. I think it happened for a reason. That chapter I played there is done. It’s cemented and I’m onto this chapter.

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