Hawks trade PG Trae Young to Wizards — Who are the fantasy basketball winners and losers?

It is official: Atlanta Hawks PG Trae Younger has been traded to the Washington Wizards in change for guards CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, changing into the primary main domino to fall forward of what is shaping as much as be a busy NBA Commerce Deadline.

Washington will get a high-usage star to construct round amid one other misplaced season, whereas Atlanta lastly breaks away from an period outlined by thrilling highlights however underwhelming outcomes. For fantasy basketball managers, the ripple impact is simply as vital — this is not only a star altering groups, it is a sizeable shift in utilization, alternative and worth.

Commercial

Let’s break down the fantasy basketball winners, losers and pickups from the deal:

🏆 Commerce winners

Trae Younger – Washington Wizards

Washington was one of the best touchdown spot for the four-time All-Star. He’ll get his extension, and with no established offensive hierarchy in Washington, he’ll immediately grow to be the first ball-handler, shot-taker and playmaker. Count on a lift in utilization price, north of 30% (he was down to twenty-eight% this season), together with loads of nights with a excessive quantity of factors and assists. There’s second-round, per-game worth potential the remainder of the way in which in factors leagues. For 9-cat, the turnovers and FG% will nonetheless maintain him again. Both method, Trae will feast within the nation’s capital — simply bear in mind the Wizards have a protected top-eight decide within the 2026 NBA Draft and it is of the utmost significance. Count on some relaxation/upkeep days to make sure that’s by no means in query.

Commercial

Jalen Johnson – Atlanta Hawks

With Younger gone, Johnson’s already increasing position grows even bigger. He continues working as their point-forward, main the workforce in touches, whereas pushing towards nightly near-triple-double territory. He is a first-round worth throughout codecs for the rest of the season.

Simply have a look at his on/off numbers with Younger over the previous two seasons:

One factor that received minimize off within the graphic is that Johnson is a +41 with out Trae, in comparison with -7 with him over that very same length. Both method, extra counting stats and extra W’s are on the way in which.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker – Atlanta Hawks

NAW got here to the Hawks this summer time, hitting the bottom working as probably the greatest acquisitions from free company. He is already been a beneficial two-way contributor, placing up career-highs in factors, rebounds, assists, 3s and steals this season. McCollum will doubtless eat into a few of his minutes, however Alexander-Walker will begin and preserve an identical workload that he is seen since Younger’s been out of the lineup.

Commercial

Wednesday’s commerce locks in NAW because the Hawks’ secondary scorer and playmaker. He is accessible in 49% of leagues, when he ought to be nearer to 100% — particularly after this information.

Alex Sarr – Washington Wizards

The participant I am most excited to see play with Younger is Alex Sarr. The Wizards have not had a degree guard able to getting him simple baskets close to the rim or using his athleticism. I anticipate Trae will change that off the rip with loads of pick-and-roll lobs to the second-year large man. Sarr’s already improved his FG% by 7% this yr (thanks to higher shot choice), however he may nonetheless use some assist close to the rim.

Sarr is already high 50 in Excessive Rating, high 40 in factors and high 30 in 9-cat codecs, so whereas he is a winner by attending to play with a real PG, he is already been far exceeding expectations in his sophomore marketing campaign.

Commercial

📉 Commerce losers

CJ McCollum – Atlanta Hawks

McCollum moved from a rebuilding workforce to a playoff contender immediately. His veteran presence, mixed along with his playmaking and scoring, can be beneficial to the Hawks’ backcourt. Nevertheless, I do not anticipate him to play near 31 minutes as he did in Washington. The Wizards performed him to internet a much bigger fish, they usually did precisely that. CJ’s biggest asset is his expiring contract, so whereas he’ll play appreciable minutes, fantasy managers cannot financial institution on him getting 19/3/3 in a reserve capability.

With the Hawks clearly pivoting towards a youth motion, his minutes and touches could also be inconsistent, particularly because the workforce builds round Johnson, NAW, large man Onyeka Okongwu and two-way guard Dyson Daniels. I would maintain him in 12-team or higher leagues for now, however be able to drop him if the minutes and manufacturing pattern south. It appears like a greater real-life basketball transfer that will not carry the identical weight for fantasy hoops.

Commercial

Bub Carrington – Washington Wizards

Carrington is a schedule-based, injury-replacement streamer at finest. His effectivity woes make him laborious to belief in 9-cat and whereas he can rack up counting stats when he truly performs, his rank within the pecking order falls as soon as Younger walks by the door.

He is too inconsistent to be trusted until Younger will get damage or sits for a couple of video games for relaxation functions.

↔️ Unchanged

Kyshawn George – Washington Wizards

George remains to be coping with a hip harm, however his stability with the franchise is rock stable. He is a foundational piece for Washington, and as he works his method again to the courtroom, having a pure level guard ought to assist him get out in transition and settle into extra catch-and-shoot alternatives.

Commercial

George has proven lots of progress initiating the offense this season — particularly in pick-and-roll, the place he is taking part in with extra tempo, studying defenses and utilizing his physicality to assault and create. Studying from a P-n-R wizard like Trae will assist, despite the fact that it may cut back a few of his time as the first ball-handler. It should not go away altogether, although.

George would not have a timetable for his return. When you’ve got area for him on IL, I might decide him up or maintain — he is been too good this season.

Dyson Daniels – Atlanta Hawks

Daniels stays a flexible supply of rebounds, assists and shares in fantasy. His worth ranges from 70-90 relying on the format, and that will not change with Trae gone. Like Johnson, Daniels’ stats are higher with Trae off the ground this season, notably in scoring.

Commercial

Extra factors, rebounds and assists however the identical quantity of steals, that are essentially the most important drivers of his worth.

Put up-trade pickups

Sharpshooting rookie Tre Johnson is the primary identify that got here to thoughts as a result of he’ll take up a superb portion of McCollum’s minutes at SG. A Trae and Tre backcourt sounds cool and the union will doubtless encourage extra open seems to be for the rookie.

Put him on the watchlist for factors leagues as a result of his sport is one-dimensional in the intervening time. Bilal Coulibaly is one other participant to observe, particularly with Khris Middleton being subsequent out the door.