Kings Insider Reveals Why Team Rejected Trae Young-Zach LaVine Trade With Hawks

Last season, the Atlanta Hawks moved on from former franchise cornerstone Trae Young in a trade with the Washington Wizards.

But at some point before that, the Hawks reportedly had a separate trade proposal rejected by the Sacramento Kings because Sacramento was "not fully prepared to be in the long-term Trae Young business."

Kings insider James Ham broke it down during a recent episode of "Locked On Kings."

"The Kings, of course, had been offered Trae Young at one point in exchange for Zach LaVine -- Zach LaVine to Atlanta and Trae Young to the Sacramento Kings," Ham began. "... According to a source of mine, they said no because they knew that the second he got off the plane, he would want an extension, and the Kings were not fully prepared to be in the long-term Trae Young business."

After being traded to the Wizards, Young ultimately did land a big contract, but not immediately. The two sides waited until the offseason, then they came to an agreement on a four-year deal worth about $212 million.

The Kings would've had to do something similar in order to keep him around for a meaningful period of time had they acquired him. He was only under club control through the 2025-26 season and had a player option for the 2026-27 season (which he ultimately declined before inking his new deal with the Wizards). Evidently, Sacramento wasn't willing to make that type of commitment to the former No. 5 overall pick.

Young certainly has his flaws, headlined by the fact that he isn't a strong defender. He also isn't the most efficient scorer around, even though he has averaged an impressive 25.1 points per game in his NBA career.

But he does bring a lot to the table, including his playmaking, which has led to him averaging as many as 11.6 assists per game in a single season (and 9.8 for his career). His scoring also can't just be swept aside, regardless of his shooting percentages. Any player averaging something in the ballpark of a 25-point, 10-assist double-double over an eight-year career is doing something right.

The Hawks, however, felt like his time with the team had run its course, which led to him being traded away in January. The deal cleared the way for star forward Jalen Johnson to be the organization's new centerpiece. The 24-year-old took home All-NBA honors last season and was also named an All-Star.

Young, for his part, finished his Hawks tenure as a four-time All-Star and one-time All-NBA selectee. Atlanta had some fun seasons with him, including a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, but outside of that run, there was no more playoff success. 

The 27-year-old, who is about to turn 28, will now get a chance to help the Wizards emerge as a new-look team in the Eastern Conference after several years of misery.