Trae Young explains his Hawks exit: “I thought about Durant”

When Trae Young realized his time in Atlanta was coming to an end, he also knew how he did not want to leave. Growing up in Oklahoma City, he had seen firsthand everything that happened after Kevin Durant left the Thunder.

Speaking with Michael Porter Jr. on the “Curious Mike” podcast, Young explained that he wanted to handle the situation as calmly as possible, avoiding a public split with Atlanta:

I knew it was time and I wanted to leave the right way. I never wanted to make it a big thing. I grew up in OKC, where I saw KD get killed for the way he left the team, and I didn’t want to experience that feeling. I also saw how they treated Russ when he eventually left OKC

Trae Young

Young closely followed Durant’s rise with the Oklahoma City Thunder, before his move to the Golden State Warriors in the summer of 2016. The decision sparked intense criticism from fans and the media, especially because KD chose to join the team that had just finished the regular season with a record of 73 wins and 9 losses.

That is also why Young tried to avoid a similar situation in Atlanta, keeping his relationship with the franchise and ownership intact.

I wanted to figure out how to leave, because you never know how the NBA works. You never know if there could be a return in the future. I love the owner, Tony, and the whole ownership group. I have a lot of love for a lot of people in Atlanta, and I didn’t want to leave on bad terms

Trae Young

Something, however, appears to have changed with the Hawks’ new front office structure, which Young says contributed to him seeing his future in Atlanta differently.

When the third GM came in and they brought in Onsi, you don’t necessarily feel as secure as you did before they arrived. It wasn’t even something that was that important to me… There are a lot of things I won’t say until later on. Sometimes it’s better to just let things go

Trae Young

Trae Young’s goal

Young’s next challenge will primarily be to find consistency again and return to being one of the NBA’s most creative players on the offensive end

For me, obviously, it’s about staying healthy, but that’s not something I’m worried about. Last year was last year. I’m ready to play and get back to being who I’ve been throughout my career, while trying to take my game to another level. I’m always trying to improve

Trae Young

The change of team and environment also seems to have given him new motivation.

Changing teams and environments gives me a fresh breath of air. I’m ready to take advantage of it. I have some great people around me who will help me. I can’t do everything by myself, but right now I’m definitely not alone. I’m really excited

Trae Young

With the Wizards, Young will find an entirely new project and several players with whom to build something interesting. With Anthony Davis by his side and rookie AJ Dybantsa, Washington will have several options to put around its new Point Guard.