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The Awkward Trade: Trae Young heads to the Washington Wizards

ATLANTA — On Wednesday night, something felt off long before the final buzzer sounded at State Farm Arena. Trae Young warmed up in non-team attire—a white Jordan Brand dri-fit shirt, dark sweatpants, and Jordan sneakers—an unusual departure from his customary Hawks-issued gear. As he made his way around the court, Young acknowledged ball boys, arena […]

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ATLANTA — On Wednesday night, something felt off long before the final buzzer sounded at State Farm Arena. Trae Young warmed up in non-team attire—a white Jordan Brand dri-fit shirt, dark sweatpants, and Jordan sneakers—an unusual departure from his customary Hawks-issued gear. As he made his way around the court, Young acknowledged ball boys, arena staff, and fans, signing autographs and exchanging brief words. To many in attendance, it looked less like a pregame routine and more like a farewell.

That sense proved prescient. Before Atlanta boarded its west-coast road trip, the Hawks dealt the four-time All-Star to the Washington Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. McCollum’s contract expires after the season, while Kispert—who is under contract for two additional years at $27 million—is a career 38 percent shooter from beyond the arc.

At first glance, the return raised eyebrows. Atlanta parted with a player averaging 25.8 points and 10 assists per game over his career without receiving draft compensation. The explanation, however, lies beneath the surface.

Young has been synonymous with the Hawks since arriving as the fifth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He holds franchise records for both three-pointers made and assists, and he guided Atlanta to three postseason appearances, highlighted by a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. That spring, Young embraced the role of antagonist at Madison Square Garden, energizing a fan base and turning himself into a must-see attraction league-wide.

Trae Young was always a topic of conversation! He had his fans and he had his opponents. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen)

The Backstory

However, when the Hawks were swiftly eliminated from the playoffs in 2023 and 2024, former General Manager Landry Fields was fired. He would be replaced by Onsi Saleh in 2024 after spending the previous three seasons as an executive with the Golden State Warriors. Saleh’s first order of business was building a team around Trae Young. But, after the Hawks failed to make it out of the play-in tournament once again in the 2024-2025 season, chatter began to build around Young’s future and contract. 

In the 2025 offseason, Saleh brought in a sharp-shooter in Luke Kennard, brought in a versatile swingman in Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Kristaps Porzingis. Pairing those three players with a young core consisting of Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Rishacher, and Onyeka Okongwu, the Hawks seemed poised to contend in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

This season, the Hawks were 2-8 with Young in the lineup. Why? Atlanta plays better defense with Young on the bench, and much worse with him on the court. This season, Atlanta is 16-13 without Young on the court. They score 118.5 points per game and give up 116.8 points per contest. Compared to giving up nearly 127 points per game with Young on the court. 

Leverage … and the lack thereof

When Saleh declined to offer Young a contract extension last summer, chatter of a trade began to build. Young’s representatives – Aaron Mintz, Drew Morrison and Austin Brown – would initiate trade talks and management obliged. The news became public on Monday. It emerged that the Milwaukee Bucks, the Brooklyn Nets, and the Washington Wizards were Young’s top three targets. It does not answer the question why Young’s leverage was so low?

To the chagrin of many Hawks fans, the market for Young’s services was very low. Young has  shot 43% from the field during his career. Young also turns the ball over as much as anybody, with a 4.2 turnover rate, one of the highest in NBA history. The Wizards are receiving a bonafide playmaker, but 75 percent of his turnovers come from passes. Also, Young is not a great on-ball defender, which has always been a strong point of contention among casual fans and hoop heads alike.

Young had a $49 million player option this offseason that would make him an expiring contract. He could also opt out in the summer, depart as a free agent and give the Hawks almost $40 million in cap space. In the end, Young asked to be traded to the Wizards, and Hawks management granted his request. 

An Awkward Goodbye

Young was officially sidelined Wednesday due to a right quad contusion, marking his fifth consecutive missed game. As rumors circulated throughout the arena and the Hawks prepared for their upcoming trip, the timing aligned for a deal. At 9:27 p.m. ET, ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news. Phones buzzed across the building with 7:13 remaining on the clock.

Young remained seated on the bench, briefly disappearing into the tunnel before returning to the court during a timeout, casually dribbling a basketball. He exchanged words with comedian DC Young Fly, co-host of The 85 South Show, and eventually exited the arena for good. As play-by-play announcer Bob Rathbun noted on the broadcast, “He is the only man in the hallway.”

Trae Young attempts a lay-up during the first half of an NBA game between the New Orleans Pelicans and the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, December 2, 2024 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen)

What Comes Next

The Trae Young era in Atlanta has come to a close. While he never delivered a championship, Young electrified crowds, inspired a generation of young fans, and embraced the spotlight in a city drawn to bold personalities.

He will return to State Farm Arena soon—this time in a Wizards uniform—when Washington visits on February 24 and 26.

For the Wizards, executive Travis Schlenk sees Young as a foundational piece in their rebuild. Schlenk, who originally drafted Young in 2018, reunites with the point guard in Washington. Young joins a developing roster that includes rookie Tre Johnson, wings Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, and Bub Carrington, along with rising big man Alex Sarr, who is averaging 17 points, nearly eight rebounds, and three assists per game.

Meanwhile, Atlanta moved forward, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 117–100 on Wednesday night.

“I know you all have questions for me that right now I’m not at liberty to talk about or answer,” Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said as he opened his postgame press conference.

Whether this cultural reset leads to sustained success remains an open question.

Trae Young signs his jersey for Offset after an NBA game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, March 3, 2023 at State Farm Arena. (Photo: Itoro N. Umontuen)

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.


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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

 

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