Trae Young Contract Extension: What to Expect from Atlanta Hawks` Superstar
The Atlanta Hawks have one of the most exciting young players in the league on their roster: Trae Young. In just three seasons, Young has proven himself to be an elite scorer, playmaker, and leader for the Hawks. As such, it`s no surprise that the team is eager to lock him up with a long-term contract extension. In this article, we`ll take a closer look at what we can expect from Trae Young and his upcoming contract negotiations.
The Basics of Trae Young`s Contract Extension
As it currently stands, Trae Young is set to become a restricted free agent at the end of the 2021-22 NBA season. That means the Hawks have the right to match any offer he receives from other teams and keep him in Atlanta. However, the team would prefer to avoid that scenario by signing Young to an extension before he hits the open market.
The earliest the Hawks can offer Young an extension is this offseason, which means negotiations will likely start heating up in the coming weeks and months. As for the terms of the deal, Young will likely be seeking a maximum contract extension, which could be worth up to $201.5 million over five years. Of course, the Hawks will want to negotiate a contract that works for both parties and doesn`t put too much strain on their salary cap situation.
The Case for Trae Young`s Max Extension
So why should the Hawks be willing to offer Trae Young a max extension? The simple answer is that he`s one of the best young players in the league and has already shown that he can carry a team to the playoffs. Here are a few more reasons why Young is worth the investment:
– Elite Scoring: In just three seasons, Trae Young has established himself as one of the best scorers in the league. He averaged 25.3 points per game last season and has shown that he can singlehandedly take over games with his scoring ability.
– Playmaking: Young isn`t just a scorer, though. He`s also an elite playmaker, averaging 9.4 assists per game last season. He has a rare ability to create easy scoring opportunities for his teammates and make everyone around him better.
– Leadership: Despite being just 22 years old, Trae Young has already established himself as a leader on the Hawks. He`s not afraid to take on big shots, and his confidence and swagger have helped elevate his teammates` play.
The Case Against Trae Young`s Max Extension
Of course, there are always two sides to every negotiation, and there are certainly arguments against giving Trae Young a max extension. Here are a few things that might give the Hawks pause:
– Defensive Struggles: Young`s defensive abilities have been a bit of a weakness throughout his career so far. He has shown some improvement in this area, but he`s still not a lockdown defender by any means.
– Injury Concerns: Young has missed a few games due to injury in each of his first three seasons. While he hasn`t had any major issues, there is always the risk that he could suffer a significant injury down the line.
– Salary Cap Implications: Offering Young a max extension would put a significant strain on the Hawks` salary cap situation. With other young players like John Collins and Kevin Huerter also due for extensions soon, the team will need to be careful about how much money they commit to any single player.
What Will Happen?
So what can we expect from Trae Young`s contract negotiations? Ultimately, it`s anyone`s guess, but here are a few possibilities:
– Young signs a max extension: This would be the most straightforward outcome, with the Hawks committing to their young superstar for the long term.
– Young signs a shorter extension: Perhaps the Hawks and Young agree on a shorter extension (say, three years) that gives the team some financial flexibility in the short term and allows Young to hit free agency again while he`s still in his prime.
– Young hits free agency: If negotiations break down or if Young wants to test the open market, he could play out the final year of his rookie contract and become an unrestricted free agent in 2022.
Regardless of what happens, Trae Young is sure to be a key part of the Hawks` future for years to come. Whether he signs a max extension this offseason or not, the team will be building around his talents and leadership as they continue to compete in the Eastern Conference.