Carmelo Anthony knows what it’s like to be traded as the face of a franchise, so he wasn’t surprised to see Trae Young face a similar reality. The 4x All-Star’s value continues to dip this offseason amid his injury issues. Melo was not shocked when the trade eventually happened for multiple reasons.

“Trae is hurt, but you also got these young guys going out there, and we’re winning basketball games. So now as a coach, I have to look at, damn, what’s our new identity?” Melo asked the potent question on his podcast 7PM in Brooklyn. “‘Our new identity is tall, length 6’7″, 6’8″ scrappy defensive players. So now we have shifted our identity to being a defensive-minded team.'”

The Hawks were 2-8 with Trae Young as opposed to 16-13 without him this season. One rival scout bluntly said, “Trae is an extremely difficult player to win at the highest level with.” The 27-year-old was traded to the Wizards, and the Atlanta Hawks did not receive any future picks. Instead, they picked CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. Social media was buzzing with the negative trade value of the 4x All-Star. But it was not a surprise to Carmelo Anthony.

“I’m not shocked because the money got to add up. No team’s out there that wants to take Trae’s $49 million contract. And it’s unfortunate that it comes down to the money. But at the end of the day, it is what it is. Like teams are like, ‘No, I’m not.’ Because of what’s been presented. Behind the scenes and then the narrative about Trae, it’s like ain’t no team that’s taking $49 million on.”

Many expected the Hawks to exercise his team option, but they didn’t. Since then, Trae Young’s future away from Atlanta has become clear. The Hawks are now poised to turn the page to a new era with the emergence of Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, and Zaccharie Risacher.

Can Trae Young help the Wizards take the next step?

Fortunately for the Wizards, they were in dire need of a point guard who could get buckets consistently. This season, they are 27th in offensive efficiency, and building around Trae Young made sense because the Hawks’ offense with Young on the floor has ranked in the top 15 in every season since his second campaign in 2019-20, including the No. 1 offense in 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Defensively, they can pair the 4x All-Star with Alex Sarr, who has taken a noticeable leap as a rim protector, leading the NBA with 2.4 blocks per game. His presence could hopefully allow the Wizards to hide Young’s defensive flaws. Even David Aldridge, a veteran NBA expert, shed light on the future vision. “They want to see what the best offensive versions of Sarr, George, and Johnson can be, and check if they, along with the 2026 pick, can take tentative steps toward the Play-In Tournament next season. Young can help them find out,” he wrote for The Athletic.

The move also makes financial sense for the Wizards. They now sit $30 million below the luxury tax and have cleared $46 million in cap room for the summer, giving them significant flexibility to make further moves.

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