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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 […]

Published

9 months ago

January 8, 2026

Oakland Post

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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Related Topics:Alex Sarr Atlanta Hawks Bub Carrington CJ McCollum Corey Kispert NBA Onsi Saleh Sports Trae Young washington wizards

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NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Darius Cooper with nine seconds left for the game winning touchdown as his team beat the Tennessee Titans 24-20 in Nashville. Hurts finished the day 26/37 for 264 yards. He threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions. Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 […]
The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 weeks ago

September 20, 2026

Oakland Post

Prior to the final drive, the Eagles ran 25 plays for 45 yards. During the final drive Hurts went 6-8 with 61 passing yards and the touchdown. Titans defensive tackle — and team captain — Jeffery Simmons said this week that the way to defend Jalen Hurts is to make him “play quarterback.”

Hurts said to Simmons after today’s game: “You started that sh**. I had to finish it.”

Running back Saquon Barkley suffered a stinger in the first half but he ultimately finished the game. He had four carries and nine yards and one catch for eleven yards. He will get an MRI for his injury, but admitted to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network he was fine.

Caleb Williams leaves game against Vikings with apparent lower-body injury

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams was helped off the field with a right leg injury with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Williams was down, writhing in pain after scrambling to his left. After departing the injury tent, Williams raised his right fist, acknowledging the crowd while expressing his frustration. Testing will commence on Monday to find out more details about his injury.

“We’ll know tomorrow,” Johnson admitted regarding Williams’ injury. “He’s in good spirits. He’s a team player.”

Williams finished the day with 138 passing yards and one interception.

“I’m actually happy it’s nothing with the knee — that was my first inclination,” Johnson said. “But, a hamstring could be pretty damaging as well. So, we’ll see. We’ll see how bad it is tomorrow and we’ll go from there.”

Bryce Young once again dominated the Falcons

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young is 5-1 against the Atlanta Falcons and is undefeated at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Today, Young threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns as he led the Panthers to a 34-3 dismembering of the Atlanta Falcons. Georgia Tech alumnus Darren Waller caught two touchdowns and linebacker Devin Lloyd returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown.

Cooper Rush started his second straight game for the Falcons and it did not go well. The partisan crowd voiced their displeasure after Rush completed 10/17 passes for 86 yards and two interceptions. Jack Strand entered the game for Rush prompting cheers from the Falcons fans. The rookie threw a pick-six on his first career pass attempt. Strand was the first QB to accomplish that feat since Sam Darnold in 2018 and is the first Falcons player to do that since Brett Favre in 1991. Strand finished the day with 59 passing yards and 16 rushing yards.

According to reports, quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is expected to make his season debut this Thursday at the Green Bay Packers. His return should help the Falcons. They are the first team since the 2008 Rams to not run any plays in the red zone after the first two games to open a season.

The bright spots for the Falcons today were the Spelman College Jaguarettes performing with the Falcons cheerleaders and Florida A&M’s marching band, The Marching 100, also performed during halftime!

Jayden Daniels gets carted off after apparent arm injury

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels appeared to injure his left elbow on the final play of the first half in his game against the Dallas Cowboys. During the play, Daniels got stepped on, braced himself for the fall, and his elbow bent the wrong way. Daniels draped a towel over his head as he exited the field on the cart.

He was later ruled out.

Daniels suffered a dislocated elbow to the same arm during week nine of last season against the Washington Commanders, which led to him being shut down for the remainder of the season.

The post NFL: Week Two Recap | Jalen Hurts did not fold; Caleb Williams exits game with injury appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win

Master the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework with Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt. Learn every stage, tactic, and win!
The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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2 weeks ago

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Oakland Post

Negotiation framework stages, tactics, and winning strategies from AutoNetwork

Roosevelt Gist and Roosevelt deliver the complete vehicle-purchase negotiation framework in Episode 8 of The Color of Our Money Is Green. This episode covers the three foundations of every effective negotiation, the full seven-stage negotiation sequence with exact language for every stage, and five of the most common dealership tactics with the specific response each one requires.
What You Learn in This Episode:
The three foundations that make every negotiation tactic work
The complete seven-stage car-buying negotiation sequence
Exact language for every stage of the dealership conversation
Five common dealership tactics — the turnover, the four-square, the packed payment, spot delivery, and forced add-ons — and how to counter each one
Why signing preliminary paperwork isn’t the same as signing the final contract
___________________________________________________________________
“The Color of Our Money Is Green: A Buyer’s Guide to What Cars Actually Cost” — stan.store/RGist
____________________________________________________________________
AutoNetwork helps serious car shoppers inspect any new vehicle online before walking into a dealership. I’m Roosevelt — I’ve been reviewing cars and shaping digital car buying and credit union auto leasing since before YouTube car reviews existed.
You’ll find detailed walkaround reviews, POV test drives, and buyer-focused breakdowns covering comfort, space, features, and real-world value.

How to use the channel:
Watch the walkaround of the car you’re considering
Visit AutoNetwork.com for the full review
Check CouponsOffersAndDeals.com for current dealer specials
Walk in already knowing what you want — and what it should cost

AutoNetwork.com
CouponsOffersAndDeals.com
Affiliate disclosure: some links earn a small commission at no cost to you and help support the channel. Insta360 is one of those partners.

The post The Complete Negotiation Framework — Every Stage, Every Tactic, Every Win appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Stay toasty in the CX-90! Plush Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, and a memory-equipped heated steering wheel deliver ultimate luxury.
The post Mazda CX-90 Luxury: Heated Seats & Premium Comfort! #shorts appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Oakland Post

Mazda CX-90 interior with heated seats offering premium comfort.

Experience ultimate comfort in the CX-90. Nappa leather, heated/ventilated seats, 8-way power adjustments, and memory settings for both front passengers. The heated steering wheel with memory tilt/telescope adds premium convenience.

Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/EH5A4eQ4ipY