Information that the San Antonio Spurs and star level guard De’Aaron Fox agreed to a four-year, $229 million max contract got here as a shock to many throughout the NBA. Doubtlessly together with the Atlanta Hawks, who now may have a more durable time conserving star level guard Trae Younger.
Younger could take a look at Fox’s extension and count on the Hawks to interrupt the financial institution by providing him the same deal. In spite of everything, Younger is arguably higher than Fox and is even barely youthful than him, too.
Whereas Fox is far greater and much much less of a destructive on protection, Younger is an elite shooter and passer and is the centerpiece of a revamped Hawks crew that has an opportunity to make a deep playoff run subsequent season.
The Trae Younger contract scenario looms over the Atlanta Hawks
Younger will turn out to be a free agent after this season if he and the Hawks cannot conform to an extension. If Younger calls for a max contract, then that could possibly be a non-starter for the Hawks, who do not seem prepared to go that top in negotiations.
Worse but, for Atlanta, they have not been capable of get prime greenback in commerce talks for his or her finest participant, placing them between a rock and a tough place.
In accordance with Chris Haynes, the Hawks have but to even supply Younger an extension, which is very uncommon contemplating that he can turn out to be a free agent in simply 10 months. That means that they’re taking a wait-and-see strategy, and that might come again to chunk them.
The Hawks should tread rigorously with Trae Younger
In spite of everything, the longer they go with out extending him, the extra seemingly it’s that he may decide to take his possibilities in free company. Groups such because the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Warmth, and Brooklyn Nets all are anticipated to have important cap house and will doubtlessly lure him away from Atlanta.
Mockingly, the Spurs have a vested curiosity within the Hawks’ contract drama with Younger. The Spurs can swap picks with the Hawks in 2026 and personal their decide outright in 2027. They’d be doing backflips if Younger had been to depart in free company subsequent summer time for nothing, probably giving the Spurs a lottery decide to take the sting out of overpaying for Fox.
Atlanta has achieved an unbelievable job remaking their roster, tailoring it to maximise Younger’s strengths and to reduce his weaknesses. Nevertheless it would not actually make sense with out him. If Atlanta balks at his contract calls for, particularly after the Fox extension, then that could possibly be sufficient of a cause for Younger to look elsewhere.
