“We never truly got to see our full potential”: Trae Young bids Atlanta Hawks a bittersweet farewell with an emotional post

Trae Young’s move from Atlanta to Washington marks the end of an era, and the 27-year-old shared an emotional message before leaving. The 4-time All-Star is ready and geared up to start anew with Washington Wizards after being traded by the Atlanta Hawks. As per ESPN’s Sham Charania, this blockbuster deal sends Young to Wizards in exchange for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert. The confirmation for this deal broke during the Hawks vs Pelicans on Wednesday when Trae Young was seen sitting on the bench in casual clothes after sustaining an injury last month against Trail Blazers. While Young departs as Atlanta’s all-time leader in assists and three-pointers, the trade follows months of speculation regarding his fit in Quin Snyder’s system and the Hawks' recent success during his injury-related absences. Trae was drafted as the 5th pick by Dallas Mavericks in 2018, but was traded to the Hawks on the same day and has been with with them since then. After spending seven seasons with Hawks, Trae surely had a lot to say before packing his bags. He started with quoting Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you- declares the Lord.” “The last few years weren't how I wanted them to be. Expectations that we created for ourselves, reaching heights that Atlanta has never reached before.” said Young. “Bringing a championship to Atlanta was always my goal. However, between the injuries, the setbacks and situations that didn’t make sense, we never truly got to see our full potential.” Trae, appreciating the city of Atlanta wrote, “The city that raised me and taught me so much will always be a chapter in this story.” Ending the post Trae talked about his expectations towards the unseen future, “I’m walking to the next chapter ecstatic, with my head high and my eyes forward. It’s time to see what’s possible when the support is real and the vision is clear. We Move.”When the news of Trae’s trade broke out, the match between Hawks and Pelicans was reaching its climax, it seemed like it was also his career’s final point. Young was on the bench after getting sidelined with a quad contusion, and when he heard the news, he just walked towards the tunnel while sharing emotional goodbyes with training staff and fans. The last time fans saw him walking towards Hawks' locker room. For Wizards, this trade is an aggressive "buy low" strategy as by moving McCollum’s expiring contract, they gain a dynamic centerpiece who led the league in assists just a season ago. Despite Wizards' current 10-26 record, the front office views Young as the creative engine that will help them unlock the potential of their picks like Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly. However, the move is not without its hurdles as Young is currently managing a quad injury with no expected return date. But with Trae’s ability and talents, easing in the Wizards’ roster will not be a big deal. Also read: “Too delicate”: Fans react to Anthony Davis’s hand injury in Mavs' close loss to Jazz