Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic voiced support for longtime counterpart Trae Young after the Atlanta Hawks sent the three-time All-Star to the Washington Wizards in a major roster shake-up.
The Hawks agreed to trade Young to Washington in exchange for veteran guard C.J. McCollum and forward Corey Kispert, league sources confirmed Thursday. The move grants Atlanta additional payroll flexibility—McCollum’s contract expires after the season—while giving the Wizards a proven primary playmaker to accelerate the development of young pieces such as Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington.
Doncic Reacts to Former Draft Night Counterpart
Speaking on Spectrum SportsNet shortly after the deal became public, Doncic said he is pleased to see Young land in his preferred destination.
“Obviously we came in together and got traded for each other, so it’s been a lot of talk about me and him,” Doncic said. “But we have a great relationship, I have a lot of respect for him. If he’s excited for this new journey, I’m excited for him.”
The pair has been linked since the 2018 NBA Draft, when Atlanta selected Doncic at No. 3 before sending him to Dallas for Young and a future first-round pick.
Implications for Atlanta and Washington
Young, 25, owns a player option worth nearly $50 million for the 2026-27 season. Atlanta was widely expected to explore deals rather than negotiate an extension, and Young had reportedly listed Washington as his top landing spot. The trade positions the Hawks to build around emerging forward Jalen Johnson while surveying additional opportunities before next month’s deadline.
For Washington, the acquisition delivers a marquee scorer and facilitator to anchor an ongoing rebuild. Young is averaging 27.1 points and 10.9 assists this season.
Lakers Monitoring the Market
The deal arrives less than two weeks after the Los Angeles Lakers stunned the league by acquiring Doncic. Although Young’s move does not directly affect Los Angeles, it reinforces the notion that All-Star talent remains obtainable before the Feb. 8 deadline. The Lakers still possess multiple future first-round picks, though executives around the league reportedly view those selections as less valuable in the wake of the Doncic blockbuster.
The trade market remains fluid, and additional high-profile transactions are expected as front offices finalize their postseason strategies.
Source: LakersNation.com
