Hawks predicted to trade for $228 million superstar in blockbuster deal involving Trae Young

Hawks predicted to trade for $228 million superstar in blockbuster deal involving Trae Young originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It was only a few years ago when the Hawks were two wins away from the NBA Finals. Atlanta was a young, promising core led by Trae Young that pundits were sure would be back in the playoff hunt.

Fast forward to 2025 and the Hawks have yet to reach those heights again and it doesn't look promising for the future.

Young is currently injured but that hasn't stopped a flurry of mock trades involving the superstar. One proposal involves the team that eliminated the Hawks in 2021, the Milwaukee Bucks.

Atlanta Hawks trade Trae Young to Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo

Here's the fake trade that Bill Simmons drew up on his podcast that would involve multiple All-Stars.

Hawks receive:

• Giannis Antetokounmpo

• Kyle Kuzma

Bucks receive:

• Trae Young

• Kristaps Porzingis

• 2026 1st round pick

• 2028 1st round pick

The fake trade comes as Giannis deleted all of his social media dating back to 2021 and has been in trade rumors dating back to last season.

Simmons actually proposed the Hawks could give away up to four first-round picks in exchange for the former MVP.

"If Atlanta got Giannis without giving up Jalen Johnson, or [Dyson] Daniels, or even [Zaccharie] Risacher," Simmons said. "Could they keep their team which has this really cool identity right now?"

The Hawks are 11-6 without Young this season and many have argued that Johnson is the team's best player even with the veteran guard healthy. If Atlanta gets Giannis along with its stacked frontcourt they could match up defensively with the league's best teams.

On the Bucks side, they would ship off a potentially disgruntled star for another star. Porzingis is an expiring contract that would open cap space in the near future. The picks would serve as pieces to rebuild around Young and other pieces like Myles Turner and Kevin Porter Jr.

A bonus? Getting off Kyle Kuzma's $21.5 million salary.

It's a mock trade that has benefits for both sides but would be a huge risk for both teams. Is Giannis really disgruntled? Would the Bucks trade for an injured, aging Trae Young?

These are questions that could remain unanswered unless a blockbuster like this trade happens.

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