Overview

• League sources report there are no plans this summer for Young and the Hawks to discuss a contract extension, leaving him to play out his final guaranteed year.
• Young will evaluate a $49 million player option for 2026-27 rather than locking into a four-year, $229 million deal now.
• Atlanta’s additions of Kristaps Porziņģis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard are central to the franchise’s decision to delay long-term commitments.
• Analysts describe the standoff as a strategic “slow play” contingent on both team success and Young earning All-NBA honors.
• If Young makes an All-NBA team he could qualify for a five-year, roughly $350 million super-max next summer or enter free agency in 2026.