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Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks gestures prior to a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at State Farm Arena on January 7, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Key Takeaways

The Atlanta Hawks have officially closed the book on the Trae Young era, and fans found out in real time. On Wednesday night (Jan. 7), during Atlanta’s 117-100 win over New Orleans, news broke that the Hawks were trading Young to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.

Young, who was on the bench in street clothes, exited the arena late in the fourth quarter, briefly greeting fans — a quiet but emotional ending to a nearly eight-season run in Atlanta. He leaves as a four-time All-Star and the face of the Hawks’ most memorable playoff moment in recent history: a thrilling Eastern Conference finals run in 2021.

As the trade spread across social media, reactions poured in immediately, ranging from disbelief to appreciation — and, in some cases, excitement about what’s next. “Trae Young to the Wizards. Ay, might gotta come back to the games now,” @souloradio tweeted.

Others questioned how and why Washington emerged as the destination. “Would’ve liked Trae Young in Toronto, wonder why he chose D.C.,” @CantfwJerm wrote. Some fans focused on the value Atlanta gave up, especially given Young’s age and production. “The Hawks just made the worst trade I have ever seen in my lifetime... Trae Young is 27 with a CAREER AVERAGE of 25 [and] 10 [assists] per game and has helped lead the Hawks to SEVERAL PO runs! Unreal... Look out for Washington! They got something cookin’!” @MixedBrandMedia posted.

Amid the noise, several voices emphasized how Young handled his exit. “One thing I hope people appreciate about Trae Young: He clearly cared about Atlanta. Until the very end, he never complained publicly about decisions the organization made and handled his exit from the franchise as professionally as he could have,” @ReallyDanWeiner wrote.

Others saw the deal as a reset for both franchises. “The Trae Young trade [makes] a lot of sense to me now. It was time to move on. I’m pretty sure the Hawks [could’ve] got more but they most likely wanted to do right by him and send him where he wanted to go,” @humblehustlin added. And for Wizards fans, optimism followed quickly. “Trae Young is a good gift to the Wizards since they didn’t win [the] draft lotto this year. Now, [the] NBA needs to freeze that envelope next summer lol,” @dknightisreal joked.

CJ McCollum responds to new chapter with Atlanta

While much of the attention centered on Young, the Hawks’ return pieces have already begun addressing the transition. In a statement shared with NBA insider Chris Haynes, McCollum reflected on his time in Washington while looking ahead to his next chapter in Atlanta.

“Loved my time in D.C. Organization was great to my family and I. Michael Winger and Will [Dawkins] did everything they said they would and kept their word from the very beginning. Love the city, and they’re doing things the right way over there. Excited to get to The A and get to work. Very familiar with their style of play. Love the ownership group and front office. Good group of players,” the 34-year-old told Haynes.