Trae Young and cryptic social media messages are becoming a thing now. Not too long ago, he posted a simple “⌛” on his social media. That sent the Atlanta Hawks fans into a frenzy, as it seemed it was only a matter of time before the 6’1 guard signs an extension on his contract. But after that? Radio Silence. No communication. No announcement. Just…pin-drop silence. Even though Young is eligible for a four-year $229 million max-extension, he might be considering taking his talents elsewhere. Source? Again, his cryptic social media messages.

It all began with a fan post on X (of course, it did). One fan account posted a photo of Trae Young in a Boston Celtics jersey, which caught the attention of a few people. One of them was Trae Young himself, who liked the post. On the face value, it doesn’t mean much. But it’s an indicator of his frustration at this ongoing standoff with the Hawks.

According to Marc Spears, Trae Young is “disappointed” with the fact that he has yet to be offered a contract extension. “What I’m hearing now, at this point—and you can tell by Trae’s tweet, and I saw him during the Finals—I think he’s disappointed that it hasn’t come, it hasn’t been offered.” And now the kicker, “So don’t be surprised at this point if he plays this out, and sees what happens next summer. ”

While the mystery around Trae Young’s future continues, Atlanta is making some interesting moves in the market. They have already brought in the likes of Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kennard, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker through the door. And according to Hawks GM Onsi Saleh, Trae Young played a vital role in convincing them to join the Blackhawks.  “He went out there to talk to these guys,” Saleh revealed. “He was great in the recruiting process.” 

Although Young has been convincing players to join the Hawks, why hasn’t he inked a new deal himself? Rumors are, he is looking for a Devin Booker-esque deal. For the uninitiated, Devin Booker signed a new deal with the Suns that made him the highest-paid player annually in the history of the NBA. So are the Hawks making a mistake running down Trae Young’s contract?

Trae Young showed his commitment with his actions

It’s not that the Hawks’ front office hasn’t been vocal about the contract situation of Young. “Me and him spoke the other day, and he’s just locked in for this season coming up. We’re both locked in,” GM Saleh told reporters on June 23. But these words seem to have no follow-up. Which is completely opposite of what Trae Young has been doing this offseason. First, he was already very much involved with the recruitment, which he even confirmed on his YouTube channel.

He personally called Alexander-Walker and Kennard. “Yeah. I talked to both of them on the phone; I was able to talk to them. I’ve known them for years. Being in this game, you connect with guys throughout the year.” The 26-year-old followed it up by skipping the Michael Jordan brand event. Yes, Young chose to skip the lavish “Board of Greatness” anniversary celebration in Greece and went straight to Las Vegas. Why? To be with the team for Summer League games.

He was courtside with the Hawks brass, which again indicated a strong bond, but it seems that commitment is now up in the air. “I’m so stuck in the moment right now… focusing on what they wanted me to do this year by trying to build these young guys,” Young told HoopsHype. Translation? The future is still undecided.