The Zach Lowe Show (The Ringer)

Episode: The End of the Trae Young Era in Atlanta. Plus, All-Star Predictions!
Date: January 8, 2026
Guests: Zach Lowe (Host), Rob Mahoney (The Ringer)

Episode Overview

This episode breaks down the bombshell trade sending Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks to the Washington Wizards, explores the implications for both franchises, and examines possible ripple effects (including Anthony Davis rumors). Zach and Rob then dive into detailed 2026 NBA All-Star Team predictions for both conferences—debating picks, snubs, and league trends with wit and depth. The show closes with a round-up of key NBA storylines and some playfully exasperated takes on TV culture.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trae Young to the Washington Wizards: Trade Breakdown

[00:00–26:58]

The Deal

• Trade: Trae Young to the Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert (both expiring contracts).
• Implications for Atlanta:
  • Clears future salary ($50M+); opens flexibility.
  • Trade return is viewed as "anticlimactic" and selling very low on Trae.
  • "This is rock bottom for Trae Young's trade value." — Zach [06:00]
  • Possible follow-up move: Atlanta has room to pursue another high-salary star (Anthony Davis widely discussed).
• Implications for Washington:
  • Major talent upgrade, questionable fit with the rest of a young, developing roster.
  • Wizards didn’t yet extend Trae—maintains some flexibility.
  • Potential tension between developing prospects (e.g., Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly) vs. giving Trae the ball.
  • Draft pick risk: Wizards pick is top-8 protected to the Knicks—new motivation for subtle tanking if the team improves too much.

Emotional/Abstract Fallout

• A sense of loss for Hawks fans: “I'm bummed out that the most exciting Atlanta Hawk since Dominique Wilkins... ends in just a whimper of a trade…” — Rob [05:33]

Deeper Analysis: What Went Wrong in Atlanta?

• Retrospective regret—should the Hawks have traded Young 2–3 years earlier for real assets? The “original sin” revisited:
  • “We do need to look back at the original sin of all of this—which is trading Luka Doncic for Trae Young and the pick that became Cam Reddish.” — Zach [07:40]
• Team-building challenges with Young’s defense and ball-dominance.
• Young’s polarizing player profile: “He's not the easiest personality to anchor a franchise around... plus, one of the worst defenders at his position.” — Rob [08:46]

Washington’s Rationale & Player Development Dilemma

• “I get talking yourself into it... but Trey Young is not a discovery point guard.” — Rob [11:36]
• The danger: “He sucks up a lot of the oxygen in the room.” Can Sarr and others still develop, or will Trae stunt them?
• Wizards are likely to deploy “creative tanking” tactics if winning threatens their odds of retaining the protected pick.

Notable Quotes

• “You could almost see the other players on the team when Trae came back sort of readjusting to, ‘oh, we gotta overload the entire side of the floor again.’” — Zach [11:15]
• “I want Alex Sarr posting up maybe twice or three times as much... I want Keyshawn George trying to split doubles... That’s what’s going to mean three years from now in terms of his development.” — Rob [12:13]

2. Anthony Davis to the Hawks?

[20:22–24:25]

• With Young’s salary off the books, Atlanta is now rumored to be eyeing Anthony Davis as a trade target.
• Zach and Rob are skeptical: Davis’ durability and super-max price tag are major concerns.
• “Anthony Davis just doesn’t play enough games for me to want to make that kind of financial [commitment].” — Zach [22:43]
• New CBA/Apron rules make expensive, inconsistent stars even riskier than in past generations.

3. All-Star Selections: West & East Picks

[28:41–71:45]

General Approach

• “This is my actual 12-man All Star rosters for each conference... I got a little wacky, especially in the East.” — Zach [01:20]
• No positional restrictions this year; focus on two-way impact, durability, and team context.
• Frequent nods to close calls and the odd state of the East’s player pool.

Western Conference Picks

[28:41–56:33]

Consensus “Locks”

• SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander)
• Nikola Jokic (“Joker”)
• Victor Wembanyama (“Wemby”) — “I don’t want to hear about the minutes police.” — Zach [29:44]
• Luka Doncic
• Steph Curry
• Anthony Edwards
• Kevin Durant
• Alperen Sengun
• Kawhi Leonard
• Jamal Murray
• Deni Avdija

Debate & Notable Disagreement

• Chet Holmgren vs. Devin Booker as final West All-Star spot:
  • Zach: Chet (“Best non-Wemby defensive player in the league!” [33:09])
  • Rob: Booker (“Good vibes year, malleability, leadership” [34:10])
• Reasoning includes defense, advanced stats, team success, “vibes,” and new season narratives.
• Notable Suns and Rockets representation reasoning.

Snubs & Apologies

• Devin Booker (Zach apologizes, sees argument)
• Austin Reaves, Lauri Markkanen, Keonte George, Rudy Gobert (serious DPOY candidate), Amen Thompson, Stefan Castle, Zion Williamson, De’Aaron Fox, Jimmy Butler (statistical case, but not enough “oomph”)
• “I really wanted to try to find room for Stefan Castle...” — Rob [54:32]

Nuggets Mini-Segment [36:37–40:47]

• Jamal Murray’s development as a playmaker in Jokic’s absence.
• “Aaron Gordon’s legs might be the biggest wild card in the NBA season.” — Zach [40:47]

Thunder & Spurs Notes [41:04–47:28]

• Thunder’s recent offensive lull: shooting slump, player absences, changes in defensive approaches.
• “Part of the tradeoff for their relatively mundane halfcourt offense is that they don’t turn the ball over.” — Zach [44:50]
• Spurs’ lineup experimentation and opposing teams' new defensive tactics.

Eastern Conference Picks

[56:37–71:45]

Consensus “Locks”

• Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Donovan Mitchell
• Tyrese Maxey
• Cade Cunningham
• Jalen Brown
• Jalen Brunson
• Jalen Johnson
• Scottie Barnes

Debated/Controversial Inclusions

• Zach’s picks include Norm Powell (career year in Miami), Michael Porter Jr. (Brooklyn), Derrick White (Boston), and Jalen Duren (Detroit).
• Rob has Karl-Anthony Towns (“Kat”), Jalen Duren, and Franz Wagner (Orlando; fewer games but better than Paolo Banchero).
• Zach elevates Derrick White: “I’m rewarding defense, versatility, winning plays, character, and Celtics’ net rating…” [68:19]
• Rob is skeptical: “It’s a beautiful and insane pick...” [67:32]

Big Picture

• “Who of these people are all-stars?” [67:45] — Zach
• The East’s pool is so thin that picking snubs/apologies is a struggle. “The east is a little tougher for apologies, I guess.” — Rob [76:39]

Notable Snubs Discussed

• Paolo Banchero (Orlando) — “Is the best version of the Magic in two years one that has both Franz and Paolo?” [62:29]
• Evan Mobley (expectation hangover)
• Bam Adebayo (offensive dip, still essential)
• OG Anunoby (fringe case as a ‘Derrick White-ish’ All-Star)
• Darius Garland (missed too many games)
• Others: De’Andre Fox, Isaiah Stewart, Josh Giddey, Desmond Bane, Pascal Siakam, Tyler Herro (injured), Max Strus (injured)

4. Around the NBA: News, Trends, & Sidebars

[41:04, 76:32–88:35]

Notable Topics

• Denver Nuggets: “If they’re fully healthy and not in the play-in, good luck picking against them.” [38:57]
• Oklahoma City Thunder: Shooting regression and the effect of opponents' defensive game plans.
• Celtics’ Jalen Brown: Late MVP push due to 65-game rule and missed games by other stars.
  • “If that’s not worthy of MVP consideration, I don’t really know what we’re doing.” — Rob [78:28]
• Giannis’ Trade Comment: “I will quote, never request a trade.” [81:54] But caveats abound: "As of today..."
• Knicks: James Dolan interview with ‘should win the finals’ quote. (Both find it aggressive but not noteworthy for players.)
• TV Corner: Zach’s recurring TV show frustration (in jest, [00:25–02:00; 87:09–88:35]).

5. Memorable Quotes & Moments

On the Trae Young Trade Saga

• “Good riddance to the Trae Young trade saga. I guess I’m eager to see who he’s going to be as a Wizard.” — Rob [26:51]

On All-Star Selection Headaches

• “Who of these people are all-stars?” — Zach [67:45]
• “It’s a beautiful and insane pick, but the answer, I think, is Evan Mobley. Still… Derek White’s awesome, but he’s not an All-Star.” — Rob [67:32]

On the State of the East

• “…You do feel the disparity from the conferences pretty acutely. Like, on the other end, I’m wringing my hands for the second-best player on the best team in basketball. Over here I’m like, ‘I guess Franz Wagner?’” — Rob [68:02]

On Celtics’ Derrick White

• “Every year the best advanced stats have him as one of the 10 best players in the league… those stats are capturing something massively powerful about his game.” — Zach [70:57]

Noteworthy Timestamps

• 00:00–02:00: Trae Young trade headline; episode themes preview
• 05:33: “Bummed out” for Hawks fans—low return for star
• 07:40: Revisiting Doncic-for-Trae/Cam Reddish “original sin”
• 11:15: Teammate defensive adjustments when Trae is on the floor
• 13:54: Alex Sarr vs. Castle prospects for Wizards—draft debate
• 22:43: Davis-to-Atlanta skepticism; long-term salary implications
• 29:24–36:09: West All-Star “locks” and Chet vs. Booker debate
• 41:04–47:28: Thunder and Spurs’ recent issues and tactical evolutions
• 56:37–71:45: Full East All-Star debate, including bold picks and buyer’s remorse
• 78:12: Jalen Brown in MVP conversation
• 81:54: Giannis “never request a trade” interview deconstructed

Episode Tone & Style

• Analytical, candid, lighthearted, and sometimes self-deprecating
• Frequent in-jokes, “wacky” picks, and willingness to call out front-office errors or media spin
• Deep-dive player development commentary, especially around young teams

Final Thoughts

This episode captures a pivotal NBA moment—the end of the Trae Young era in Atlanta—while providing sharp, entertaining All-Star debate and essential context for league trends heading into trade season. Both Zach and Rob blend realism with comedic asides, making their insights accessible for serious NBA fans and casual listeners alike.

For listeners who missed it: this episode blends hard analysis and dry humor to map out the why, who, and what next of one of the NBA’s defining early-2026 moves—and sets the table for an unpredictable All-Star selection process.