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Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 21 points, Jalen Johnson had 19 points and 14 rebounds and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Boston Celtics 117-106 on Wednesday night to avenge a lopsided home loss. Onyeka Okongwu added 17 points, Dyson Daniels had 15 and Corey Kispert 13 to help the Hawks win their fourth straight.
NBA sources don’t expect Morant’s market to be too much different than it was for Trae Young, who was dealt to the Wizards for just an expiring contract in CJ McCollum and a solid role player in Corey Kispert. But the Hawks preferred short-term or expiring deals. Memphis is taking the opposite approach: Executives around the league say the Grizzlies are signaling a willingness to take on bad contracts, if it means being compensated with young players or picks. But the Grizzlies aren’t going to get that much for Morant. Think pick swaps, not unprotected firsts. Think moderate bets on rookie contracts, not exciting young players. Even getting those assets might require Memphis to take on bad money in return.
The Washington Wizards announced today they have acquired guard Trae Young from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for guard/forward Corey Kispert and guard CJ McCollum. “We are excited to welcome Trae Young to the Washington Wizards,” said General Manager Will Dawkins. “It is a rare opportunity to acquire a player of Trae’s skill, accomplishments, and age. Trae plays an exciting brand of basketball and brings a level of confidence and competitiveness that has set him apart in this league.”
Corey Kispert was selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by Washington. He appeared in 311 games (105 starts), averaging 10.9 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting .475 from the field and .383 from three. CJ McCollum started in 35 games after being acquired in an offseason trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. He averaged 18.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game, and shot .454 from the field and .393 from three with Washington. “We thank Corey and CJ for being consummate professionals during their time in Washington,” said Dawkins. “Though they spent varying time here, both left a lasting impact on this organization that we hope our players carry forward.”
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Keith Smith: Hawks-Wizards trade is now official. No changes from what was previously reported: Atlanta acquires CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert Washington acquires Trae Young
Michael Scotto: Atlanta Hawks GM Onsi Saleh on trading Trae Young for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert: “On behalf of the Hawks franchise, I’d like to thank Trae for how he embraced the city of Atlanta and represented the Hawks during his time here, on the court and in the community. Over more than seven seasons, including four All-Star appearances, he cemented himself as a fan favorite and one of the great players in our franchise’s history. We wish Trae and his family all the best.”
Michael Scotto: Atlanta Hawks GM Onsi Saleh “Adding CJ McCollum, one of the NBA’s most prolific shooters and a respected veteran, along with an established young veteran in Corey Kispert, will strengthen our team on the court and in the locker room, and we retain flexibility for future opportunities to continue building our program.”
Bobby Marks: Contract breakdown: Atlanta/Washington To Atlanta: CJ McCollum ($30.7M), Corey Kispert ($14M, $14M, $13.1M, $13.1M (T)) To Washington: Trae Young ($46M and $49M (P)) Notes: Young and McCollum are both eligible to sign up to a 3 year extension
This was a value move that the Wizards couldn't pass up. Young is a four-time All-Star and multiple-time league assists leader at a position of dire need. He can facilitate offense for recent draft picks in shooting guard Tre Johnson (No. 6 in 2025), big man Alex Sarr (No. 2 in 2024) and forward Kyshawn George (No. 20 in 2024). And the cost of taking on Young's $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season wasn't an issue for a team that was projected to hit the offseason with $80 million in cap space. (Washington also cleared $14 million by sending Kispert to the Hawks.) "This is pre-agency," a second East executive said. "The Wizards are using cap space in this deal that they would've had this summer."
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Kispert, 26, is a wing in his fifth NBA season, and he’s a career 38.3 percent 3-point shooter who is highly regarded within the Wizards for his professionalism. But with a large number of younger wings on the roster, Kispert was expendable.
Bobby Marks: A friendly reminder that the players involved in the Atlanta/Washington trade can’t be aggregated in another deal. They can be moved separately but not combined with other salary.
Shams Charania: BREAKING: The Atlanta Hawks are trading four-time NBA All-Star Trae Young to the Washington Wizards for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, sources tell ESPN.
Austin Krell: The Wizards have now ruled out Corey Kispert with left hamstring injury management. He was not previously listed on the injury report at all.
