How Hawks' getting No. 1 pick impacts potential Trae Young trade with Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are not satisfied after being bounced by the Nuggets in the first round of the playoffs. It was not a total disaster, but the franchise fired head coach Darvin Ham and immediately began discussing how to improve their roster. The Lakers have three tradeable first-round picks this summer and are likely to make a splash.

Trae Young is expected to be available after a disappointing season in Atlanta, and he’s been connected to the Lakers. The three-time All-Star was with Klutch Sports, but has changed agencies. He made his desires clear, which further opened the door to trade speculation.

The Hawks lost in the Play-In Tournament and entered the draft lottery with just a three percent chance of landing the top pick, but it happened on Sunday night. It is not considered to be a strong class. Still, the Hawks were excited to get the top selection, but does it change their stance on a Trae Young trade?

Lakers fans believe odds of landing Trae Young increased

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski talked about the Hawks trading Young and Dejounte Murray in the immediate aftermath of their lottery win. Getting the number one overall pick gives Atlanta a chance to add a young building block and reshape their roster.

Lakers fans immediately ran with it. There were edits all over social media and no shortage of speculation. If the Hawks are drafting the new face of their franchise, it should make Young available. The Lakers have three firsts to offer and want a guard capable of taking some of the ball-handling responsibilities off LeBron’s plate. This year’s draft could change things, though.

Lack of star talent at the top of the 2024 NBA Draft may change Hawks' thinking

In 2023, everyone knew Victor Wembanyama was headed to the Spurs the moment their name was announced on lottery night. There is no surefire number-one pick in the 2024 class, and most experts do not have star grades on any of the prospects. There will be a few All-Stars in this draft, but there is no consensus on which prospects will blossom.

The Hawks have Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu. If they keep Trae Young and add a wing, that is a strong core of four players under 26 years old. Trading Ice Trae puts Atlanta into a total rebuild with three first-round picks owed to the Spurs. Do they want to give San Antonio multiple top selections? It seems unlikely.

Trae Young's agency switch is bad sign for Lakers

The three-time All-Star was with Klutch Sports, the agency owned by Rich Paul, but he recently switched to CAA. The two companies have long feuded back to Leon Rose’s days with CAA. Things have reportedly cooled in recent months, but the timing should not go unnoticed. If Young wanted to join LeBron James in Los Angeles, staying with Klutch was his best move.

With Young represented by CAA, he may be angling to join the Spurs or a mystery team this summer. The Los Angeles Lakers will have interest, but landing the star guard is another story. Do not be surprised to see the Hawks put him on the market. Does LeBron push to bring him to LA? He wants upgrades, and Young will be one of the best available this summer. Signs point to Ice Trae playing elsewhere, but crazier things have happened.