Trae Young combines elite playmaking and prolific scoring while attracting polarized opinions due to defensive lapses, perceived stat-chasing, and a provocative persona. He averaged double-digit assists across the past three seasons (10.2, 10.8, 11.6) and led the league in assists in his most recent campaign. His offensive impact and passing prowess place him among the league's top-tier facilitators despite recurring criticisms. Trade scenarios pairing Young with a team like the Toronto Raptors have been proposed, suggesting potential roster exchanges aimed at pairing his playmaking with a talented supporting core to unlock greater team success.
There's a reason why a player like Trae Young is in a different conversation than someone like Cam Thomas or Tyler Herro. Say what you will about his flaws, but Young is undeniably among the top-tier, elite playmakers, if not, the absolute best. Over the past three seasons, he has averaged double-digit assists: 10.2 in 2022-23, 10.8 in 2023-24, and 11.6 in 2024-25. In fact, Young's most recent campaign saw him lead the league in assists, finally claiming the top spot after coming close in previous seasons.
I recently highlighted how a superb playmaker like Trae Young could be the key to unlocking the Raptors' potential, similar to how the Indiana Pacers built a successful run to the NBA Finals with Tyrese Haliburton leading the way. And it looks like I'm not the only one pondering the idea of attaching Young to this talented Raptors core, as Sam Vecenie of The Game Theory Podcast floated a hypothetical scenario of a Trae Young-Raptors trade in his recent livestream from August 21.
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