Trail Blazers’ trade proposal for Trae Young amid Hawks fallout

The Portland Trail Blazers revamped their backcourt in the offseason. They reunited with Damian Lillard, who is one of the best players in franchise history. They also traded for Jrue Holiday, who is one of the best defensive guards in NBA history. However, point guard has been a glaring weakness this year. Luckily, one of the best point guards in the NBA just hit the trade market. The Trail Blazers should make a move for Trae Young, as he and the Atlanta Hawks are now pursuing a trade.

Trail Blazers' trade proposal for Trae Young

Trail Blazers receive: Trae Young

Atlanta Hawks receive: Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson, 2028 first-round pick (via Magic), three second-round picks

Although the backcourt of Lillard and Holiday could take the Trail Blazers to the next level, the duo won't be playing together until next season. Lillard is out for the season with a torn achilles tendon. Holiday has missed most of the season with a calf injury, too. Even Scoot Henderson has missed all of the season so far because of a hamstring issue.

The Trail Blazers are holding their own in the stacked Western Conference, but they are being held back by how depleted they are at the guard spots. A trade for Young could help Portland's push for the playoffs. He is consistently in the running to lead the NBA in assists per game, and he is one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA.

Both his shooting and playmaking would fit perfectly on a Trail Blazers team that ranks 27th in 3-point percentage (34.1%) and 26th in assists per game (24.8). In addition to this trade helping out this season, a move for Young would have the future in mind. Lillard is past his prime and will likely never again be the player that he was during his first stint with the Trail Blazers. Holiday has shown signs of regression in the last two seasons, too, especially on the defensive end.

A guard trio of Holiday, Lillard, and Young would have the potential to be one of the best in the NBA, but Young's presence would provide security for the aging backcourt, and at age 27, he still fits the timeline of the rest of the core. Young's playmaking prowess would benefit young players such as Deni Avdija, Toumani Camara, Donovan Clingan, and Yang Hansen.

Henderson would be shipped out in this deal, but he hasn't quite lived up to the expectations of being a third overall pick. The Trail Blazers would also lose Jerami Grant, one first-round pick, and three second-rounders, but that is a small price to pay for a four-time All-Star, even despite Young's flaws. Young's shortcomings on defense are the predominant reason he isn't a part of the Hawks' long-term plans, but the Trail Blazers have enough defense to cover for Young on that end. Clingan is an elite rim protector, and Camara and Holiday are premier point-of-attack defenders.

Are the Trail Blazers an ideal trading partner for the Hawks?

The Hawks are likely to have options for whom to trade Young to. In fact, Portland wasn't listed among the top six trade destinations for Young's services. Making a deal with the Trail Blazers could still make a lot of sense, though. It isn't quite clear what Young's trade value is, especially when it relates to draft capital.

He is considered one of the best players in the NBA, but his ability to contribute to winning has come into question. The Hawks tried to surround him with defenders, but his size and shortcomings on the less glamorous side of the court were too hard for Atlanta to overcome, and that could scare off teams from trading huge hauls.

In this deal, Atlanta would only end up with one first-round pick, which makes Henderson the centerpiece of this trade return. While Henderson had a disappointing rookie season, and he has missed all of his third year, he did show signs of life as a sophomore. Henderson was considered to be a prospect who could go first overall had he not shared a draft class with Victor Wembanyama.

It is possible that the G-League Ignite product was turning a corner last year and could still reach his potential, especially after a change of scenery. Atlanta would bank on Henderson's ability to get downhill resulting in him becoming an All-Star. A backcourt with Henderson and Dyson Daniels would have a lot of potential. Daniels is already a Defensive Player of the Year-caliber player. The Hawks should hold out for the biggest trade return they can get. This may not be it, but if the Hawks don't get anything better, a Henderson-centered package would be something to get excited about.