Is Hawks star Trae Young growing restless in Atlanta?
That is the belief of rival executives, according to a new report.
Young "could be the next player on a rookie max extension to request a trade if the team doesn't make inroads come postseason time," Chris Haynes of Bleach Report reported.
The Hawks are off to a disappointing 16-16 start, good for eighth place in the Eastern Conference heading into Thursday action. Their loss on Wednesday to the Bulls was a heartbreaker, sealed by a buzzer-beating putback jumper by Chicago's Ayo Dosunmu.
Atlanta's underwhelming performance comes after an offseason highlighted by the promising acquisition of Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs.
Injuries to the starting lineup have been a factor, with Murray, John Collins, De'Andre Hunter and Clint Capela all missing time due to various ailments of late. Key reserve Bogdan Bogdanovic debuted this month after missing the start of the season due to offseason knee surgery.
Still, according to Haynes, Young is a fierce competitor with "a strong desire to win big in this league."
Haynes' report comes a day after a major shakeup to the Hawks' front office was announced. Former president of basketball operations Travis Schlenk was reassigned to an adviser role, while general manager Landry Fields took over Schlenk's old job.
Under Young's current contract extension, which was finalized in August 2021, the 24-year-old two-time All-Star would be a free agent after the 2026-27 season. However, the deal includes an early termination option after 2025-26.
Haynes' sources are gathered at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas for the NBA's annual G League Winter Showcase.
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