Trae Young agrees to massive extension with Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young has agreed to a five-year designated rookie maximum extension with the Atlanta Hawks, his agent Omar Wilkes of Klutch Sports told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Monday. The deal is worth up to $207 million.
The former Oklahoma Sooners point guard is coming off a memorable third season in the NBA after he rallied the Hawks for a memorable playoff run. First, Young stood tall amongst a raucous crowd inside Madison Square Garden, where Atlanta defeated the New York Knicks in five games. From there, Young got the best of the top seed in the Eastern Conference, eliminating the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games.
Young was pivotal in leading the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they pushed the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks to six games.
The former fifth overall draft pick averaged 28.8 points and 9.5 assists throughout last season’s playoff run. Now, the Hawks are hoping Young’s playoff prowess is the beginning of the run to an eventual championship.
Trae Young’s Impact on the Atlanta Hawks
The point guard has been a revelation for the franchise. He’s been fantastic on the hardwood, but Young’s also helped shape the Hawks’ image off the court.
When you put on a show on the court, the stars come out to see you. Throughout the season, celebrities like rappers Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, 21 Savage and the Migos were continually spotted inside the State Farm Arena.
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Young hasn’t just given the Hawks a lift on the court, but in popular culture. He’s the embodiment of a new era of Hawks basketball, and even one of the franchises’ legends believes so.
Hawks legend, Dominique Wilkins, was complementary of Young throughout his playoff run.
“He hasn’t even reached his ceiling yet,” Wilkins said on the All Things Covered podcast, according to CBS. “This kid is remarkable. I see him everyday, so I see a lot of things people don’t see so it just amazes me how hard this guy has played. What he’s done – first of all he got overlooked on the All-Star team, and I know about getting snubbed. He’s been snubbed a couple times but you know what I love about him, he doesn’t let that slow him down or affect him. He keeps proving them wrong and that’s all you can do when people don’t give you your due.”
He’s had the backing of Atlanta, but Young is becoming a household name now. Soon, he could be mentioned among the league’s elite at the point guard position.
Other contract details
The deal includes a 30% escalator clause that would turn the guaranteed $172 million base into $207 million should Young be voted onto one of the three All-NBA teams. The deal also includes an early termination option after the fourth season, according to ESPN.
The contract begins during the 2022-23 season, and runs through the 2026-27 campaign.
Image courtesy Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images via Getty Images