Shams: The Hawks traded Trae Young to the Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania on Wednesday, the Atlanta Hawks have reached a 1-for-2 trade with the Washington Wizards: they sent four-time All-Star guard Trae Young to the Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.

This trade marks the official end of Trae Young's seven-year career with the Atlanta Hawks. As the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NBA draft, Trae Young played 493 regular season games for the Hawks, averaging 25.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 9.8 assists, and 1.0 steals in 34.3 minutes per game, leading the team to the playoffs three times. He also played 27 playoff games, averaging 26.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 9.0 assists, and 1.2 steals in 37.7 minutes per game, helping the Hawks reach the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals.

However, the rift between the two sides gradually became apparent with the rise of young stars such as Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker: Trae Young 's defensive shortcomings and smaller stature made it more difficult for him to adapt to the team's new tactics compared to the rising stars. Under the dual pressure of injuries and the team's system transformation, he only played 10 regular season games for the Hawks this season, and his average points per game dropped to 19.3.

Contractual issues were also a key factor in facilitating this trade. Trae Young is currently in the final year of his contract and has a player option worth $49 million for next season. He is eligible to sign a four-year, $229 million contract extension this summer, but the two sides have not engaged in any substantive negotiations on this matter.

Industry insiders generally believe that this trade will benefit all parties involved. Trae Young and his team had listed the Wizards as their preferred destination months ago and began negotiations with Hawks general manager Onsie Saleh in the past week. He hopes to reunite with Wizards senior vice president of player personnel Travis Schlenk through the trade, who was the key figure in the Hawks' draft of Trae Young.

As for the Hawks, they acquired experienced backcourt playmaker CJ McCollum in this trade. The 34-year-old McCollum played 34 games for the Wizards this season, averaging 18.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. In addition to his on-court contributions, his expiring $30.6 million contract provides the Hawks with significant flexibility in their future moves.

Another new addition is 26-year-old Corey Kispert, whose arrival effectively strengthens the Hawks' wing depth. As the 15th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 draft, Kispert has played 311 regular season games for the Wizards, averaging 10.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.