As the NBA trade deadline inches closer, it seems like one player who is destined to be on the move is Trae Young. On Monday, it was reported by Shams Charania that the Atlanta Hawks are working with Young to find a trade for him. Likewise, Marc Stein reported that the Washington Wizards are a legitimate suitor.
Now, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that the Minnesota Timberwolves, along with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Clippers, have monitored Young's situation.
The Bucks, Timberwolves, and Clippers are monitoring Trae Young’s situation in Atlanta, per @MikeAScotto
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 6, 2026
“The Washington Wizards have discussed a trade for Young centered around CJ McCollum’s $30.67 million expiring contract, as The Stein Line first reported. Stein also notes… pic.twitter.com/fTy0Zctse6
This isn't exactly a shocker given the Wolves' clear need for a point guard. Nevertheless, Young isn't the right fit, and more importantly, his contract alone should cause the Wolves to hang up the phone.
Young is having the worst season of his career since his rookie year. Trae is averaging 19.3 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 8.9 assists on 41.5/30.5/86.3 shooting splits. The Hawks are also 5.8 points per 100 possessions better with Young off the court. Plus, the Hawks are 2-8 with Young and 15-13 without him. This isn't a player the Wolves should target, especially given the price it would cost them.
Trading for Trae Young wouldn't be a smart move
Listen, on paper, I don't hate Young's basketball fit. The Timberwolves desperately need a guard who can provide some extra shot creation and playmaking next to Anthony Edwards. Still, it's unclear how his heliocentric style would clash with Ant. Furthermore, Young's lack of defense is undoubtedly a concern. Given how poorly the Wolves' non-Rudy Gobert minutes have been, Young's poor defense makes his fit tricky.
Young's contract is where this trade truly looks to be unrealistic. He is making an enormous $45.9 million this year and has a $48.9 million player option for next season. The Wolves are a first-tax apron team; as such, they need to match salaries in any trade.
That's far easier said than done. To trade for Young, the Wolves would have to center a package around either Julius Randle or Naz Reid (Jaden McDaniels is untouchable, and Gobert is too valuable to the Wolves' defense). However, it can't be as easy as a one-for-one swap.
It would have to be Randle, either Mike Conley or Donte DiVincenzo, and some sort of young talent. That's a hefty price to pay. Frankly, Randle has been better than Trae this season, and even if it were a one-for-one Randle for Young swap, I wouldn't pull the trigger on a trade. Add more talent? Forget about it.
Reid makes $9 million less than Randle, so the Wolves would have to gut their already limited depth further. For a team that already has the minimum number of standard roster players, this isn't feasible, and the Wolves would likely have to dip into the second apron. For a player who is having a down season and isn't a perfect fit, this isn't worth it -- at all.
The Wizards' possible package is reportedly centered around CJ McCollum's expiring contract, which is a much more reasonable price. In the case of the Timberwolves, they don't have an undesirable contract to make the money work. If the Wolves could pull off a Wizards-like offer for Young? Sure, but the truth is they can't unless the Hawks get so desperate to attach valuable draft capital to Young.
Ultimately, while Minnesota has been monitoring Young, I don't expect anything to come of this, and that's a good thing for the Timberwolves.