Trae Young has carried the Atlanta Hawks into the national conversation ever since he was drafted in 2018. With his deep three-point shooting, playmaking brilliance, and fearlessness on the big stage, Young has cemented himself as one of the most electrifying guards in the league.

Now entering his eighth season, Young is sounding more motivated than ever. At media day, he made it clear that this year feels like a fresh start, despite his veteran experience. “Year 8 feels like Year 1,” Young said, emphasizing how rejuvenated he feels heading into the 2025-26 campaign.

The Hawks missed the postseason entirely last season, but the front office responded aggressively. With new additions such as Kristaps Porziņģis, Luke Kennard, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, plus a healthy Jalen Johnson returning, Atlanta looks to have built one of the most balanced rosters Trae Young has played with in his career. The East has its share of juggernauts, but with injuries sidelining stars like Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton, there’s a real chance for Atlanta to climb back into contention.

Young, however, is not letting speculation about his future or his contract extension cloud his vision. Eligible for a new long-term deal this past summer, he chose not to press the issue, stating he’s focused solely on this team’s success. That mindset sets the stage for what could be a defining season for the Hawks and their franchise player. Here are three bold predictions for Trae Young’s 2025-26 season.

Young will lead the NBA in assists for the first time

Trae Young has always been among the league’s best playmakers. His career averages of 9.8 assists per game place him in elite company, and in 2024-25, he dished out a career-high 11.6 assists, proving his evolution into one of basketball’s premier facilitators. What separates Young from many of his peers is not just his vision, but his willingness to create for teammates even when defenses swarm him well beyond the three-point line.

This season, with a reloaded supporting cast, Young has the perfect opportunity to lead the league in assists outright for the first time. Kristaps Porziņģis provides him with a stretch big man who can both roll to the rim and pop for threes, something the Hawks have lacked in past years. Luke Kennard gives him one of the best floor spacers in the NBA, a deadeye shooter who thrives off catch-and-shoot opportunities.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker brings a blend of defense and slashing, while a fully healthy Jalen Johnson adds a dynamic transition threat and versatile scoring option. Surround Young with that level of shooting and athleticism, and his playmaking ceiling only grows higher.

If the Hawks remain healthy, it’s entirely plausible that Young averages north of 12 assists per game. That would put him not only at the top of the league but also in rare statistical air historically. More importantly, it would signal that Young has embraced his role as a true offensive engine, able to score at will, but just as capable of elevating everyone around him.

Young will re-enter the MVP conversation

Two years removed from his last deep playoff run, Trae Young’s star had dimmed somewhat in the national spotlight. Missing the playoffs last season only reinforced the narrative that Young, despite his gaudy numbers, wasn’t able to translate his brilliance into team success. But in 2025-26, the conditions are set for him to flip that narrative on its head.

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Young has already posted MVP-level seasons from a statistical standpoint, with averages of 29.6 points and 9.3 assists in 2019-20, and multiple seasons above 25 points and 10 assists. What he hasn’t had is the team success to back it up. Now, with Porziņģis, Kennard, and Johnson complementing him, Atlanta looks far deeper and more complete than the squads that often left him carrying a burden.

The bold prediction here is not that Young wins MVP outright, but that he finishes in the top five of the voting for the first time in his career. To get there, he’ll need to push Atlanta into the upper tier of the Eastern Conference, perhaps even securing a top-four seed. Statistically, he’s more than capable; his career averages already place him among the most productive guards in the league’s history at this stage. But MVP candidacy comes when personal brilliance translates into team success.

There’s also the narrative factor. Voters love a redemption arc, and Young’s could be one of the league’s most compelling stories this year: a star who endured setbacks, questions about his leadership, and doubts about his fit in Atlanta, only to come back rejuvenated in Year 8 and lead his team to relevance. If he averages around 26 points and 11-12 assists on efficient shooting while Atlanta wins 50 games, the MVP chatter will naturally follow.

Trae Young’s season will decide his long-term future in Atlanta

The third and boldest prediction centers less on numbers and more on the franchise’s long-term trajectory. While Young has not publicly pressed the Hawks about his contract extension, everyone around the NBA understands what’s at stake. Stars in their prime years are rarely patient forever, and Young has already carried heavy responsibility for nearly a decade.

The NBA is full of stars who eventually outgrew their franchises when success stalled. From Damian Lillard to Anthony Davis, the pattern is clear: players want to win while their primes burn bright. Young has always said his only goal is to get to the Finals and compete for championships. Should Atlanta fail to take that leap, the pressure on the front office to act quickly will intensify.

This season, then, doubles as a test for both player and franchise. If the Hawks prove themselves capable of being contenders, Young’s next contract extension becomes a formality. If not, trade speculation will hover, no matter how focused Young insists he is on the present. In many ways, 2025-26 could define the next decade for both Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks.

Trae Young enters his eighth season with the poise of a veteran but the energy of someone beginning again. Surrounded by his strongest supporting cast yet, he has the chance to lead the NBA in assists, push his way into the MVP conversation, and, most importantly, decide the course of his long-term future in Atlanta. The Hawks are banking on this being the year their star point guard turns potential into tangible results. For Young, the challenge is simple but profound: lead his team back into contention and prove that Atlanta can be the place where he fulfills his championship dreams.