Unpack Atlanta's post-Trae Young future. Experts dissect the pivotal trade, franchise recalibration, and the Hawks' evolving identity.
The Atlanta Hawks’ post–Trae Young reality now has a dedicated forum, with the launch of the Hawks Roundtable podcast arriving at a moment of franchise transition.
The inaugural episode of the Hawks Roundtable podcast brings together contributors Grant Afseth and TJ French, framing the Hawks’ evolving identity through analysis, reporting context, and long-term perspective. The timing was deliberate.
Atlanta’s decision to trade Young to the Washington Wizards reshaped the organization’s trajectory and provided an immediate focal point for discussion.
The episode centers on the trade that sent Young out of Atlanta in exchange for C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert, a deal that closed one of the most consequential chapters in franchise history. For a Hawks team recalibrating its priorities, the podcast positions itself as a space to unpack not only what happened, but what comes next — on the court, at the trade deadline, and beyond the current season.
Afseth, an NBA reporter based in Dallas, brings league-wide context. His perspective focuses on how Atlanta’s roster flexibility, asset positioning, and competitive timeline fit within the broader NBA landscape. French, a senior journalism student at the University of Georgia and longtime Hawks follower, grounds the conversation in local familiarity, having followed the team closely throughout the Young era.
The discussion opens with reflection on Young’s impact in Atlanta — a stretch defined by All-Star appearances, a run to the Eastern Conference finals, and a prolonged attempt to build a sustainable contender around a high-usage point guard. French outlines why the separation, while significant, had felt increasingly inevitable as the roster evolved and the team searched for balance on both ends of the floor.
“I really do think there was kind of a disconnect between Trae Young and this current Hawks team,” French said.
He added that Young’s contributions remain undeniable, while acknowledging the limitations Atlanta faced trying to raise its ceiling.
“The Trae Young era was glorious. He’s the franchise leader in assists and three-pointers made. He brought this team to the Eastern Conference finals,” French said. “But there were factors that held the Hawks back.”
Afseth contextualized Young’s landing spot in Washington as much a strategic decision as a basketball one, emphasizing the Wizards’ need for direction and offensive gravity as they evaluate their long-term build.
“Internally, this is viewed as a way to draw fans and give the Wizards a clear offensive engine,” Afseth said. “They have young talent, but not many players who command the kind of attention Trae does in the half court.”
The podcast also outlines Atlanta’s forward-looking position. With Jaylen Johnson emerging as a foundational piece, financial flexibility intact, and a valuable draft asset from New Orleans looming, the Hawks enter the next phase with options. That broader outlook — rather than a narrow postmortem of the trade — defines the show’s tone.
“We now know the direction,” Afseth said. “There’s clarity. That matters.”
French echoed that optimism, pointing to defensive improvement, lineup balance and the possibility of further moves ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
“The future is certainly bright for Atlanta,” he said. “This team has options.”
The Hawks Roundtable podcast is designed as a weekly touchpoint for that evolving conversation, blending reporting insight with fan-facing analysis as Atlanta navigates its post-Young identity. The show is part of the broader Hawks Roundtable network, with coverage distributed across articles, aggregation and audio content.
As the Hawks begin writing their next chapter, the podcast aims to document it in real time — informed, analytical and rooted in the moment Atlanta basketball finds itself in now.