No Dunks: "Hawks Trade Trae Young to Wizards | Emergency Pod"

Date: January 8, 2026
Hosts: J.E. Skeets (A), Tas Melas (B), Trey Kirby (C), JD
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts

Episode Overview

In this late-night emergency episode, the No Dunks crew reacts real-time to breaking NBA news: the Atlanta Hawks have traded four-time All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for C.J. McCollum and Corey Kispert—without any draft picks involved. The team unpacks the surprise details, the implications for both franchises, rumors about Atlanta’s next move (possibly targeting Anthony Davis), and reflects on Trae Young’s legacy as an Atlanta Hawk.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Immediate Reaction to the Trade

• Trade Details:
  • Hawks receive: C.J. McCollum, Corey Kispert
  • Wizards receive: Trae Young
  • No picks, not even second-rounders, included.
• Initial Shock:
  • The hosts express surprise at the "skimpy" nature of the return for a player of Young's caliber:
    • “No disrespect to CJ McCollum, but he's 34, he's towards the end of his career. Corey Kispert, I love his headband. But, look where we are here for the Atlanta Hawks and Trae Young at 27 years old.” (B, 01:31)

2. Trade Negotiations and Context

• Lack of Draft Capital

  • A key point: no picks, suggesting the primary motivation was salary cap relief and ending a deteriorating relationship.
  • “This is nothing. Trae Young is a four-time All-Star, the best player the Hawks have had in a decade and he's getting traded for an expiring contract and a guy who's better known for having a center part, a mustache and a tie on the sidelines.” (C, 03:27)

• Negotiation Fatigue

  • The possibility that both sides tired of haggling, leading to a player-for-player exchange:
    • “They must have just gotten tired of negotiating about it and said let's just go player for player here. We're going Chicago Bulls mode. Make it simple and honestly this is a worse package than like Zach LaVine got last year…” (C, 04:15)

• Relationship Sourness & Market for Trae

  • Only Washington showed interest—“He wanted out in Atlanta, the Wizards were likely his only suitor out there." (C, 04:45)

3. What Does This Mean for Atlanta?

• Speculation on Next Moves

  • Rumors swirl that the Hawks are clearing cap space for a bigger trade, possibly Anthony Davis from Dallas:
    • “As Shams is reporting, this makes it a flexible situation for the Hawks, that this Dallas Mavericks star Anthony Davis as a prime in season trade target for the next several months.” (B, 02:47)
  • Discussion of the risks and fit of AD in Atlanta, especially around potential extensions and team timeline:
    • “It's a hell of a gamble with AD…You've sort of made your thoughts on that pretty clear, you think it's a little too risky.” (A, 17:23)

• Strategic Direction

  • Hawks now have “Lego piece contracts” to combine in further deals (C, 08:32).
  • Debate about whether Atlanta should pursue a slow rebuild versus making a win-now move.

4. Implications for the Wizards

• Low-Risk Bet

  • Praised for securing a 27-year-old star without giving up any picks:
    • “They literally did not give up much at all in this trade.” (B, 11:57)

• Young’s Fit and Extension Outlook

  • Expectation that Trae Young will play and potentially re-sign:
    • "I do think Trey…wants to play. And I think they're gonna play him." (B, 10:18)
    • “It's good for the guys. Oh, yeah, you got to. You literally did not give up much at all in this trade.” (B, 11:54)

• PR and On-Court Impact

  • Young can boost team relevance and ticket sales (“put some butts in the seats”), but too many wins could impact their pick due to protections (C, 12:15).

5. Trae Young’s Legacy in Atlanta

• Seventh-Year Retrospective

  • The hosts reflect on Trae’s ranking among franchise greats:
    • “Is Trae Young a top five Atlanta Hawk of all time?...Dominique, number one, obviously… Dikembe… Al Horford, Paul Millsap, Joe Johnson, Mookie Blaylock... Trey is better than those guys.” (A, 24:50–25:23)
    • On his iconic playoff run: “There’s special moments for Trae Young—winning in Madison Square Garden—that Joe Johnson and Josh Smith don’t have…” (B, 28:12)
  • Oddness of the exit: “It’s odd to be thinking that at 27 years of age, he's going from a team that could easily retire his number to being dealt for a couple guys that aren’t going to play for them.” (B, 25:41)

• Wizards’ Perspective

  • Wizards fans are notably celebratory—“They're saying, first Alex Saar picked us, then Ace Bailey, and now Trae Young is picking us.” (C, 22:26)
  • Skepticism among the hosts if DC was truly Young’s first-choice destination.

6. Reaction to Trade Aesthetics & On-Court Fit

• Jersey Swap Banter
  • “What do you think here, TK? I love your opinions on these things. How does Trae look in the golden black?" (A, 26:33)
  • “He looks good, though... if he's able to stick with 11. I like the look of that.” (C, 27:10)
• Potential Backcourt Pairing
  • Excitement at the possible “Trey-Trey” (Young and Trey Johnson) Wizards backcourt.
    • C: “That’s what everybody called me growing up. Trey Trey.” (C, 30:29)

7. Final Thoughts and Look Ahead

• Focus on Next Moves
  • Uncertainty for Atlanta fans about what's next—whether CJ McCollum and Kispert stay or become trade chips.
• Upcoming Discussions
  • The hosts tease further breakdown in their regular morning episode.
    • "We will talk more about this, I'm sure, tomorrow morning at 10am Eastern live here on YouTube." (A, 31:15)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Skeets on the lack of picks:

  • “I can’t believe that a second round pick wasn't even involved. Forget the first round pick. … It's amazing. And good on the Wizards for digging in their heels.” (A, 07:37)

• Trey Kirby’s mini-rant:

  • “This is nothing. …Trae Young is the best player the Hawks have had in quite some time. …come on. This is disappointing.” (C, 03:27)

• Skeets on Trae's 'preferred destination':

  • “Come on. Like, no, it's not. No offense to Wizards fans, but he was not thinking or saying that prior. ...That’s your only destination.” (A, 13:10)

• Trey on Wizards’ trade history:

  • “Great stuff from the Wizards. They basically went from Beal to Chris Paul to Jordan Poole to C.J. McCollum to Trae Young. Never gave up a single pick. Unbelievable.” (C, 09:29)

• Tas on the surreal return:

  • "It's just so bitter... It's a bitter taste for the Hawks to end it this way with Trae Young and not have a next step." (B, 20:06)

• On Young’s Atlanta send-off:

  • “It's the right move. …It's probably too late. …Like, they're getting a great player. They're buying extremely low. Like, we're gonna cheer for Trae Young; he was always great to us with the show." (A, 22:36)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:26 | Breaking: Trae Young traded to Wizards—first reactions | | 01:31 | Surprise over lack of picks and implications | | 03:27 | Trey Kirby's reaction and market context | | 05:33 | Hawks' salary motivations and cap discussion | | 08:32 | Atlanta’s options, AD trade rumors start | | 10:18 | Breakdown of fit, expectations for Trae in DC | | 13:10 | "Preferred destination" skepticism | | 17:23 | Risks of Atlanta making an Anthony Davis move | | 22:26 | Wizards’ fans reaction and Trae’s fit historically | | 24:50 | Is Trae Young a top-5 Atlanta Hawk? | | 26:33 | Jersey swap banter and visualizing Trae as a Wizard | | 30:25 | Excitement for the "Trey-Trey" Wizards backcourt | | 31:15 | Previewing the next show/deeper discussion to come |

Tone & Language

The tone throughout is lively, humorous, and passionate—true to No Dunks’ signature style. There’s a mix of disbelief, frustration (especially from the Atlanta side), dry jokes about “skimpy packages” and jersey mock-ups, and informed speculation about roster machinations and future trades.

In Summary

• The Hawks-Wizards trade is viewed as underwhelming for Atlanta—both in strategic and emotional terms—unless it’s a precursor to a blockbuster move.
• The Wizards are seen as winners, risking almost nothing for a possible franchise player and “box office” draw.
• Trae Young’s Atlanta tenure is honored, with the hosts agreeing he’s arguably a top-five Hawk.
• The path forward for both franchises hinges on how much more movement occurs before the trade deadline.
• More detailed breakdown promised in upcoming regular episodes, as the shockwave of the deal is just beginning to ripple.