What do you call it when your franchise star recruits, celebrates and publicly co-signs new moves before the ink even dries? Leadership, or well, maybe something even bigger. Because Trae Young’s not just dishing out assists anymore. He’s posting not-so-subtle reminders that Atlanta still runs through him, and he’s not backing down from that responsibility any time soon.

When the Hawks made their latest offseason move, bringing in sharpshooter Luke Kennard, fans were still processing the implications. But Trae? He wasted no time making it crystal clear where he stands. He reposted the official team post on Instagram, tagging Kennard and adding just two words: “LET’S GOOOO!!” Oh, and three gun emojis for emphasis. And to say it was just hype would be an understatement. This was alignment.

Because behind the scenes, Trae Young hasn’t just been waiting around for the Hawks to cook something up. He’s been in the kitchen. Hawks GM Onsi Saleh told reporters just how involved his star point guard has been in recruiting. “He went out there to talk to these guys,” Saleh shared. “He was great in the recruiting process.” Not exactly something you hear every day, right? And that’s what makes it matter. “He was great in the recruiting process… He’s extremely excited about this team,” Saleh continued.

Now, people, that’s not fluff. That is what you call your point guard doubling as a front-office ambassador. Trae has taken the reins of a franchise that, at times, felt like it didn’t quite know which direction it wanted to go. From coaching changes to trade rumors to roster churn, the one constant has been Young’s playmaking, and now, his voice.

As franchises pivot to “collaborative” team-building models, players like Trae Young are no longer just assets. They’re decision-making voices. Think LeBron in LA. Think Steph in Golden State. Trae’s not at that level yet in terms of hardware, but make no mistake, he’s claiming that level of influence. That too, with a new assistant GM role to his name. Which brings us to the subtext: extension talks.

Trae Young isn’t waiting to be asked

When asked if contract discussions were on the table, Saleh didn’t exactly entertain the thought. “I don’t talk about any of that stuff publicly,” he said, shutting down that line of questioning. But isn’t that the whole story?

That despite swirling rumors, Trae’s buying in. He’s publicly backing teammates, recruiting, building vibes, and acting like a guy who’s here to stay and build. It’s a pivot that matters.

Especially as the Hawks continue reshaping their core. Kristaps Porzingis is in. The frontcourt is young. And the locker room? It’s clearly orbiting around Trae, yet again. And Luke Kennard, for his part, could be the perfect plug-in. One of the league’s most efficient three-point shooters, Kennard offers the floor-spacing that Trae thrives next to. It’s about recalibrating this team around the modern principles that maximize a player like Trae.

And if Trae’s involved in that process, in pushing for those very principles? Then Atlanta might finally be moving with intention. Not just reacting to chaos. Because when your franchise star isn’t just waiting for direction but helping chart the course, that’s not noise. That’s leadership.