Trade season, usually one of the more exciting stretches of the NBA calendar with swirling rumors and high-stakes speculation, has so far been unusually subdued in 2025–26. Only one trade has materialized, and chatter around the league has been surprisingly quiet. The Washington Wizards’ seemingly out-of-the-blue acquisition of Trae Young was, of course, the trade in question. However, it felt somewhat anticlimactic, as Washington sent only 34-year-old CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert to the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for the four-time All-Star.
However, Young’s departure from Atlanta via trade isn’t all that surprising. After failing to reach a contract extension with the Hawks in the offseason, the writing was on the wall for the 27-year-old point guard.