Breaking up cleanly is the final dignity shared by the Hawks and Trae Young.

There was no tugging or lingering conflicts; the Hawks and Trae Young ended their relationship quite respectfully.

Once both sides acknowledged their intention to part, the Hawks promptly arranged a new home for Trae Young, and the Washington Wizards were a suitable option for him. Despite being seen as a negative asset by most teams, the Hawks managed to sell him at a very low cost.

The Wizards traded CJ McCollum and Keegan Murray to acquire this four-time All-Star guard, without giving up any draft picks. From the rumors to the deal, the main disagreement was that both sides wanted each other’s draft rights.

The Hawks thought Trae Young was at least a star guard, while the Wizards needed a star player to boost ticket sales; the Wizards thought Trae Young still had a $49 million salary next season, so if they took on such a big contract, shouldn’t the Hawks pay something in return?

In the end, both teams compromised, agreeing to forget about each other’s draft picks, and swapped three players to meet their needs. The trade was completed, and Trae Young moved to the capital to start the next chapter of his career.

In fact, the Wizards might be the best fit for Trae Young in the entire league: no pressure for wins, no concern about his defense, and a young group resembling the Hawks from a few years ago. Trae Young might not instantly become the leader, but at least he can steady the team. Previously, the Wizards played chaotically, but with Trae Young, they now have a core playmaker.

Regarding how the relationship between Trae Young and the Hawks ended, I wrote an article a few days ago, and I didn’t expect the Hawks to act so quickly. The two players acquired, especially CJ, still have immediate impact—he even hit a game-winner against the Bucks recently—but his contract is more valuable than his current performance, as CJ carries a $30 million expiring deal.

The Hawks have two plans: first, see how well CJ meshes with the current roster, then decide whether to keep him. With one month left until the trade deadline, this explains why the Hawks moved so fast—to give themselves some buffer time.

CJ’s contract is not hard to trade; if the Hawks decide to trade Anthony Davis, CJ’s contract could be a useful asset. As for Keegan Murray, a fragile white shooter who is not young, his main value lies in salary matching.

Both the Wizards and Hawks had games today; the Wizards finished earlier, and the trade news broke after their game ended. Meanwhile, the Hawks were still playing the Pelicans, and Trae Young was sitting on the bench. Upon hearing the news of his trade, Trae Young first stood up and went to the locker room, then returned to the bench.

Before the game ended, Trae Young said goodbye to teammates and fans along the sidelines, then headed toward the players' tunnel. High-fiving fans was his last gesture as a Hawk at this home court. The broadcast even stopped showing the game and focused on Trae Young in the tunnel.

You can’t read much from his expression, but in this arena he knows so well, his silhouette looked somewhat lonely. Drafted in 2018, this is his eighth year; from the start, he faced enormous pressure because the young player swapped for him was Luka Dončić.

But who would have thought he’d reach the conference finals before Dončić? The 2021 playoffs marked the peak of Trae Young’s Hawks career, with a game-winning floater in the first round making him the “Mayor of New York.” That postseason, everyone chanted “F*** Trae Young.” The image of him bowing in Madison Square Garden remains vivid.

In a seven-game second round, Trae Young silenced the Philadelphia “Twin Towers” forever; in the first game of the conference finals, he exploded for 48 points, 7 rebounds, and 11 assists, creating 72 points through scoring and assists—the highest in conference finals history.

At that time, Trae Young was dazzling, even arrogant. New York fans hated him, while Atlanta fans adored him. Interestingly, the last highlight of Trae Young with the Hawks also involved the Knicks.

In last season’s play-in quarterfinals, the Hawks defeated the Knicks on the road, and Trae Young made a dice-throwing celebration at the Knicks’ midcourt logo, signaling their trip to Las Vegas. God doesn’t throw dice, but Trae Young does.

Over more than seven seasons, Trae Young has left countless wonderful memories with the Hawks. But the golden era for point guards is gone; today’s league emphasizes size and physicality. Though Trae Young never fears contact, his physical limitations mean a lack of improvement, which leads to being left behind by the times.

When a relationship ends, parting cleanly and decisively becomes the last form of mutual respect.