Trae Young’s contract extension deadlock: Hawks reject 229 million max salary, "Yang Shaoxia" aims at 350 million, the largest contract in history for 5 years next year

On October 23, the most high-profile contract extension negotiation deadlock in the NBA continued - the maximum salary negotiations between the Atlanta Hawks and core guard Trae Young stalled. According to joint reports by multiple NBA reporters, the two sides failed to reach an agreement on an early contract extension before the start of the season. The core conflict pointed to the salary issue: the Hawks clearly rejected the four-year maximum salary request of $229 million proposed by Trae Young's team. This news not only caused shock within the league, but also made fans full of speculation about the future of "Yang Shaoxia".

The contract renewal negotiations have reached a deadlock, with both sides having clear positions.

Trae Young's contract renewal negotiations with the Hawks have been full of gunpowder from the beginning. According to NBA reporters Ashish Mathur and Fred Katz, the Hawks management directly rejected the four-year, $229 million maximum salary contract proposed by Trae Young's team. This decision surprised the outside world. After all, Trae Young has been the core player of the Hawks in recent years and won the league's assists title last season with 11.6 assists per game.

Faced with the team's attitude, Trae Young did not hide his disappointment. In an interview, he said frankly: "I am indeed disappointed, but what is supposed to come will always come. I am still young, why are you anxious?" These words not only expressed his dissatisfaction with the current situation, but also revealed his confidence and patience for the future.

What is even more striking is that Trae Young has formulated a long-term plan for himself. According to reporter Jack Fischer, Trae Young currently has no plans to apply for a trade. He has chosen to wait for the "big move" next summer. If he can be selected for the best team (even the third team) in the new season, then in the 2026 offseason, he will be eligible to sign a five-year super contract with the Hawks worth $350 million. This will be one of the largest contracts in NBA history.

The Eagles' attitude changes and team building ideas have been adjusted.

The Eagles' attitude change is a key factor in this contract renewal negotiation. The team fired general manager Landry Fields this summer, and then took a tough stance on Trae Young on the contract extension. These moves indicate that the Hawks' team-building thinking has undergone major adjustments.

From refusing to offer a maximum salary to possible trade rumors, the Hawks seem to be re-evaluating Trae Young's status and value in the team. According to sources, not to mention the five-year, $350 million super contract, there is uncertainty as to whether Trae Young can finish this season with the Hawks.

The reasons behind this change in attitude are worth pondering. On the one hand, the Hawks may believe that Trae Young's performance does not meet the standards of a top-paid player; on the other hand, the team may hope to seek new breakthroughs by adjusting the lineup. After all, under the leadership of Trae Young, the Hawks only achieved the eighth record in the Eastern Conference last season, and ultimately lost in the play-offs and failed to advance to the playoffs.

Poor performance in the preseason casts a shadow on the prospect of contract renewal

Trae Young's performance in the preseason further intensified the outside world's doubts about him. In the preseason games that have ended, he has averaged 10.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists in 23.7 minutes per game, while also committing 3.7 turnovers. Even more worrisome is his shooting efficiency - he shot just 28.1% from the field and an even lower 21.1% from three-point range.

This performance is far from his career average, and is not even as good as his preseason performance in his rookie season. Some analysts believe that Trae Young may have been affected by contract renewal negotiations and his mentality has fluctuated. But some people believe that this just reflects some of his inherent problems in the game, such as lack of shooting stability and too many mistakes.

In any case, the poor performance in the preseason has undoubtedly cast a shadow on Trae Young's contract extension prospects. If he cannot quickly adjust to his condition during the regular season, his goal of being selected to the All-NBA Team may be difficult to achieve, which will affect his plan to fight for a super contract next summer.

Comparison with Doncic: A fork in the road of destiny

When it comes to Trae Young, you have to mention Luka Doncic. The "swap deal" between the two in the 2018 draft is still talked about by fans - the Dallas Mavericks used the No. 5 pick in the first round plus the 2019 first-round pick to get the No. 3 pick from the Hawks to select Doncic, while the Hawks used the No. 5 pick to pick Trae Young.

Now, both of them have grown into first-line defenders in the league, but their contract fortunes are completely different. Doncic has already signed a super-maximum contract, but Trae Young has encountered resistance in contract extension negotiations. This contrast makes people sigh at the wonder and cruelty of fate.

However, Trae Young was not discouraged. He said that he will not be affected by external comparisons, but will focus on improving his game. He believes that as long as he can maintain stable performance, future contract problems will naturally be solved.

The "polarization" of last season's performance

Trae Young's performance last season showed obvious "polarization" characteristics. On the one hand, he started 76 games for the Hawks, averaging 36 minutes per game, averaging 24.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 11.6 assists and 1.2 steals, leading the league in assists. On the other hand, he averaged 4.7 turnovers per game, also ranking first in the league.

This contradiction in data may be the reason why the Eagles are hesitant to renew the contract..球队管理层可能认为，虽然特雷・杨的进攻能力出众，但他在防守端的表现和过高的失误率都限制了球队的整体实力。

In addition, the Hawks only achieved eighth place in the Eastern Conference last season, lost in the play-offs, and failed to advance to the playoffs. Such results are in sharp contrast to Trae Young's personal data, and it also makes the team begin to rethink his position and value in the lineup.

未来走向：合同博弈贯穿整个赛季

特雷・杨与老鹰队的续约谈判已经成为联盟关注的焦点，而这场 "合同博弈 " 很可能会贯穿整个赛季。 The two questions that fans are most concerned about are: How much can Trae Young get in his next contract? Will the Eagles trade him?

从目前的情况来看，特雷・杨有两个选择：一是接受老鹰队的压价，签下一份低于预期的合同；二是坚持自己的立场，等待明年夏天争取 5 年 3.5 亿美元的超级合同。 Considering his previous statements, the latter seems more in line with his character and plans.

对于老鹰队来说，他们也面临着艰难的抉择：是继续围绕特雷・杨建队，还是通过交易来寻求新的突破？如果特雷・杨在新赛季表现出色，入选最佳阵容，那么老鹰队可能不得不为他提供超级合同；反之，如果他表现不佳，老鹰队可能会考虑将他交易出去。

No matter what the final outcome is, Trae Young's contract extension negotiations with the Hawks will have a profound impact on the league's structure. This is not only related to the future of an All-Star player, but may also change the competitive situation in the Eastern Conference.

Conclusion: Wait for the best opportunity and seize the initiative in destiny

Trae Young's contract extension negotiations with the Hawks are still continuing, and the final result of this "contract game" may not be announced until next summer.在这个过程中，特雷・杨需要做的就是专注于比赛，提升自己的表现，争取入选最佳阵容，为自己争取最大的合同价值。

对于老鹰队来说，他们需要权衡特雷・杨的价值与球队的未来发展，做出最有利于球队长期发展的决策。无论最终选择如何，这场续约谈判都将成为 NBA 历史上又一个经典案例，展现出球员与球队之间复杂而微妙的关系。

In a world full of variables like basketball, only strength and performance are the most reliable guarantees. Whether Trae Young can get the super contract he wants, and whether the Hawks will trade him, the answers to these questions will be revealed on the court. Let us wait and see how this "Yang Shaoxia" controls his destiny at a critical period in his career.