Hawks and Wizards announce a 1-for-2 trade! Trae Young switches to jersey number 3: excited to begin a new chapter

On January 10th Beijing time, the Hawks and Wizards officially announced that the 1-for-2 trade involving Trae Young has been finalized. The Hawks received guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert; the Wizards acquired guard Trae Young.

Trae Young has arrived at the Wizards’ home arena, but will miss today’s game because of injury. In the locker room, he revealed his new number 3 jersey. Since the Wizards retired number 11 for Elvin Hayes, Trae Young chose to change his jersey number. He also posted a personal statement on social media, marking his first public comment since the trade news broke.

Trae Young wrote: “Bringing a championship to Atlanta has always been my goal. However, injuries, setbacks, and various unfair circumstances combined prevented us from fully realizing our potential. This city, which nurtured me and taught me so much, will forever be a significant chapter in my life story.”

“But the pain of staying stagnant eventually outweighed the fear of change. Change often comes with uncertainty, but I see it as a new opportunity. I will face the future with my head held high, joyfully starting a new chapter in life. When you support authenticity, reliability, and clear vision, anything is possible. It’s time to witness it all. We keep moving forward.”

Trae Young then took official photos wearing the Wizards’ number 3 jersey—

Players involved

During his time with the Hawks, Trae Young played 493 games, starting every one, averaging 34.3 minutes with 25.2 points, 9.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.04 steals per game. In 27 playoff games as a starter, he averaged 26.4 points, 9.0 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.2 steals, leading the Hawks to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals.

Trae Young is a four-time All-Star and was named to the 2022 All-NBA Third Team. He holds the Hawks' franchise records for assists (4,837) and three-pointers made (1,295), while also ranking fourth in free throws made (3,276), sixth in points scored (12,413), and ninth in field goals made (3,921) in team history.

Corey Kispert was selected by the Washington Wizards as the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft. He has played 311 games for the Wizards (starting 105), averaging 10.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game, with a field goal percentage of 47.5% and a three-point shooting percentage of 38.3%.

CJ McCollum was traded to the Wizards from the New Orleans Pelicans during the offseason. He appeared in 35 games for the team, starting all of them, averaging 18.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 45.4% and a three-point percentage of 39.3%.

Statements from General Managers

Hawks GM Travis Schlenk said: "On behalf of the Hawks, I want to sincerely thank Trae Young for his integration into the city of Atlanta over the years and for being a role model for the team both on and off the court. Over more than seven seasons with the Hawks, he was a four-time All-Star and became one of the fans' favorite players, securing his place among the greatest players in our franchise history. We wish Trae and his family all the best.”

“Bringing in McCollum—one of the NBA’s most efficient shooters and a highly respected veteran—along with Corey Kispert, a young player who has proven his capabilities, will strengthen us both on the court and in the locker room. At the same time, we maintain future flexibility to continue building our roster.”

Wizards GM Will Dawkins stated: “We are thrilled to welcome Trae Young to the Washington Wizards. Acquiring a player like Trae, who combines skill, achievements, and youth, is a rare opportunity. His style of play is highly entertaining, and his confidence and competitive drive make him stand out in the league.”

“We thank Corey and CJ for their professionalism and dedication during their time in Washington,” Dawkins added. “Although their tenures differed, both have left a lasting impact on the team, and we hope other players will carry forward this spirit of professionalism.”

Media reactions

NBA reporter Shams Charania cited sources saying the Wizards view Trae Young as a “rare combination of basketball impact and commercial value.” Charania explained that since John Wall and Bradley Beal left, the Wizards have lacked a highly recognizable star, and they hope Trae Young can become that central figure. He noted that the Wizards are likely to offer him a three-year contract worth about $120 million, similar to the deal Brandon Ingram signed after being traded midseason to the Raptors last year.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst commented that, similar to the Raptors’ midseason trade for Ingram last season, this deal represents the Wizards’ “early move to secure a player extension.” The Wizards are expected to have ample salary cap space this summer, and this trade gives them an advantage in offseason maneuvers. They also added that the Wizards hope Trae Young will positively influence their young core like Chris Paul did for the Thunder in 2019 and Fred VanVleet did for the Rockets in 2023.