ATLANTA — Trae Young posted his first statement Friday days after the Atlanta Hawks traded him to the Washington Wizards.
“Never thought I’d be typing this... the last few years weren’t how I wanted them to be,” Young wrote to begin his statement.
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Young spent his whole NBA career with Atlanta and as the face as the franchise since he was drafted in 2018.
He’s the all-time leader in franchise history in 3-pointers made and assists. He led the team to the playoffs three times within the last seven years, including an Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2021.
Young wrote that he always wanted to bring a championship to Atlanta, but the last few years didn’t end the way he wanted.
“... between the injuries, setbacks, and situations that didn’t make sense, we never truly got to see our full potential,” he wrote. “The city that raised me and taught me so much will always be a chapter in this story...,” he wrote.
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The guard and Hawks front office couldn’t agree to a contract extension during the offseason, signaling both wanted to go in a different direction.
That path ended with the Hawks sending Young to the Wizards in exchange for guard CJ McCollum and forward Corey Kispert. Our Channel 2 Action News camera caught Young leaving the bench for the final time.
In his post on Friday, Young wrote that he sees the next step in his career as another opportunity and that he isn’t afraid of it.
“I’m walking into this next chapter ecstatic, with my head high and my eyes forward. It’s time to see what’s possible when the support is real and the vision is clear,” he wrote.
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