Would the Hawks accept this trade?
If Hawks fans had any say in this, I’m sure this trade would be shut down faster than Trae Young could blow a defensive assignment. If your favorite team is going to trade its franchise player, you’d probably like to see them get more in return than a prospect who hasn’t lived up to their full potential and a few draft picks — Jimmy Butler ring a bell, anyone?
For that reason, I wouldn’t fault a Hawks fan for finding this deal abhorrent. Whether they like it or not, however, this deal is probably closer to Trae’s true value on the market than they’re willing to admit. Young is viewed as a very risky asset around the league, one that established teams don’t need to gamble on and middling teams (like the Bulls) would be too afraid to pull the trigger on. If Chicago isn’t going to offer a king’s ransom for Trae, I’d be hesitant to believe they would deal away their star so soon.
Would the Bulls accept this trade?
If Trae were to be dealt to Chicago, I’d have no doubt that they’d actually be a relatively seamless fit. Three-point shooting and playmaking are two of the Bulls’ greatest weaknesses, and having a star like Young around would do a great deal to address these deficiencies instantly.
That being said, Young’s porous defense may just be bad enough to neutralize any positive impact he has on the offensive end. This is especially true considering he has had difficulties developing chemistry with co-star Dejounte Murray and complying with Atlanta’s coaches in the past. Would things really be any better alongside DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Billy Donovan in Chicago?
As great as they are individually, the talents of three ball-dominant stars like Trae, DeMar, and Zach may ultimately be wasted if put next to each other. This potential recipe for disaster only looks even worse when you consider the fact that Chicago had to trade away almost all of their depth to get the deal done in the first place.
A starting lineup of Young, LaVine, DeRozan, Alex Caruso, and Nikola Vucevic may actually prove to be a lot better than people would give them credit for, but it wouldn’t be enough to put this team over the top. I understand the sentiment behind this proposal, but both teams walk away here long before any serious traction begins to build.
Grade: D