NBA Trade Idea Sends Trae Young To Heat

One NBA analyst proposed that the Miami Heat acquire Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks this offseason. 

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report proposed the following trade idea between the Heat and Hawks: 

Atlanta Hawks receive: Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Nikola Jović, Pelle Larsson, 2025 No. 20 (Golden State Warriors), Miami 2030 protected first-rounder, $19.4 million trade exception

Miami Heat receive: Trae Young

Young averaged 24.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 11.6 assists for the Hawks this season while shooting 41.1% from the field, 34.0% from beyond the arc and 87.5% from the free-throw line.

A four-time All-Star, Young will make $45,999,660 next season. He has a player option worth $48,967,380 for the 2026-27 season. 

“The Heat have two big men who can help protect the paint in Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware,” Pincus wrote. “Andrew Wiggins is still a solid wing with defensive chops. The All-Star backcourt of Young and Herro would be difficult for teams to deal with but would present defensive issues for coach Erik Spoelstra.

“If Young is the best veteran star Miami can add this summer, would the team balk at the price? Young would expect a new, long-term extension, with Miami investing heavily in the threesome (with Herro and Adebayo). Wiggins’ salary expires after 2026-27 (assuming he opts in at $30.2 million), but he and Kyle Anderson could be other players Miami looks to relocate.”

Young led the Hawks to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. He has career averages of 25.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 9.8 assists. 

Atlanta fired general manager Landry Fields after losing to the Heat in the play-in tournament. 

Miami is currently down 2-0 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. 

“The risk for Miami would be on the offensive firepower vs. the defensive liability pairing of Young and Herro, and how much the bigs can offset those issues,” Pincus wrote. “It’s not a no-brainer, but the talent upgrade may be hard to argue against, provided the Heat believe Young is an answer to the team’s missing offensive firepower.”