Four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young is finally spilling the tea on what really went down in Atlanta, revealing he just didn’t feel “as comfortable” with the Hawks once Onsi Saleh became the front office’s leading voice. This isn’t just a player being salty, folks, this is a look behind the curtain at how a franchise cornerstone, a guy who took them to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, felt the internal shift that ultimately led to his trade to the Washington Wizards, a deal where Atlanta got absolutely zero draft picks back. Ouch.
The GM Shuffle That Shook the Franchise
Young was upfront about his love for the ownership, telling Michael Porter Jr.’s Curious Mike podcast, “I love the owner, Tony (Ressler), and all the ownership group and everybody down there.” He added that he had “much love to a lot of people down there in Atlanta,” and never wanted to leave in a “bad way.” But the writing was on the wall as the general manager carousel kept spinning. Saleh wasn’t the guy who drafted Young back in 2018, nor was he the one who handed him that max extension in 2021. He came in as an assistant general manager in 2024, got bumped up to the top GM spot in 2025, and then, in May, received yet another promotion to president of basketball operations.
Young saw the changes firsthand, experiencing the GM who drafted him, then another who “made some (changes).” But with Saleh, the third GM, Young admitted, “it’s like you don’t necessarily feel as comfortable as you did (when) you got there.” He even hinted at more to come, saying there are “so many things I won’t say until later on, but sometimes it’s just better just to let things go.” That’s a huge statement from a player of his caliber. He knew the stakes when the third GM arrived, stating, “we all knew around me that it’s either we’re going to be around here for the long haul and we win or it may be time for everybody to just part their ways.”
A Dispassionate Approach, a Disastrous Exit
The team’s performance wasn’t helping either. After that incredible 2021 run to the Eastern Conference Finals, Atlanta hit a wall, suffering two straight first-round exits before completely missing the postseason in both 2023 and 2024. That kind of slide definitely raises questions about the direction of the franchise. It became clear that Saleh had a “more dispassionate approach” towards Young and what the team needed. This shift wasn’t sudden; it probably kicked off when Travis Schlenk, Young’s “biggest advocate” in the organization, stepped down in December 2022.
The consequence? Young’s trade to Washington was a straight-up “salary dump.” Let that sink in: a four-time All-Star, the face of the franchise for years, gone for absolutely nothing in terms of draft capital. It’s a brutal end to an era. Young’s candid words lay bare the internal turmoil and differing philosophies that led to one of the league’s biggest stars being moved for a bag of chips.
What happens now for the Hawks as they try to pick up the pieces after such a dramatic split? It’s a tough road ahead after essentially giving away their star without getting any future assets in return.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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