Trae Young traded to Wizards for McCollum and Kispert

A new era begins in Atlanta with the departure of their franchise player

The Atlanta Hawks have officially traded Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, according to ESPN. This transaction marks the end of the Young era in Atlanta, sending the 27-year-old point guard to his preferred destination, the American capital.

BREAKING: The Atlanta Hawks are trading four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/WIf8rhrRFu

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 8, 2026

A bet on the future for Washington, an accelerated rebuild for Atlanta

Young leaves Atlanta with franchise legend status. He holds team records for 3-pointers (1,295) and assists (4,837), having led the Hawks to the playoffs three times, including an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2021. Onyeka Okongwu remains the only player still present from that team.

Wizards executives Michael Winger and Will Dawkins were looking for a leader to anchor their promising young talent. This acquisition represents a crucial step in the organization’s development process. The trade also reunites Young with Travis Schlenk, Wizards executive who drafted him to Atlanta in 2018.

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Mouhamed Gueye, Hawks forward, had nothing but praise for his former teammate: « It’s Trae Young. When I got here, he was one of the first to text me, welcoming me to the city, giving me a lot of advice. Obviously, playing with Trae as a big man, it’s like a dream come true. I love him as a person, I love him as a teammate… An Atlanta legend. »

This season, Young was averaging 19.3 points and 8.9 assists in 28 minutes over just 10 games, limited by several injuries including a sprain and contusion. Despite these difficulties, Young remains an elite player with career averages of 25.2 points and 9.8 assists.

Trae Young leaves the Hawks as the all-time franchise leader in assists (4,837) and 3-PT FG (1,295).

Made his mark in Atlanta 🔥 pic.twitter.com/t3p3uJ1NuC

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 8, 2026

The Hawks can now turn to a new generation with Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu and Zaccharie Risacher. McCollum brings veteran experience with an expiring contract worth $30.6 million, while Kispert strengthens depth on the wings.

A strong 1-5 axis with Alexandre Sarr?

Young has $95 million remaining on his contract through 2026-2027, with a player option for the final season. The Wizards, currently 14th in the East with a 10-26 record, hope their new point guard’s arrival marks a turning point in their rebuild. Young becomes the second player since 1976-1977 to average 25 points per game in his first 400 games with a team before being traded before his 500th game. This excellent passer should feed Alexandre Sarr and former Chalon player Kyshawn George plenty of opportunities and form a complementary duo with Bilal Coulibaly.

Trae Young leaves mid-game after his trade announcement 🥲

He leaves the court for the final time as a Hawk… pic.twitter.com/k5EgSjQkP7

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 8, 2026