Trae Young Pens Goodbye Message To Atlanta After Trade To Wizards

Trae Young is opening up on his trade to the Washington Wizards ... explaining to Hawks fans the suffering he experienced in Atlanta was much stronger than his fear of starting fresh somewhere else.

Young released the message on Instagram Friday morning ... saying, "The last few years weren't how I wanted them to be."

"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."

While he said the city helped turn him into the man he is today, it reached a point where a fresh start was necessary.

"The pain of staying the same eventually outweighed the uncertainty of change," he wrote. "Change is often met with fear, but I see it as another opportunity."

Since the 27-year-old was drafted in 2018, the Hawks have a total record of 268-320, including a three-year stretch from 2020-2023 when they made the NBA playoffs.

The past two years have been tough sledding for the Hawks. On top of that, Young has been limited to 10 games this season due to a quad injury.

Earlier this week, it was reported that Young and his agents were working with a franchise on a trade out of the city. On Wednesday ... the Hawks agreed to send him to Washington for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.

"I'm walking into this next chapter ecstatic with my head high and eyes forward," Young wrote. "It's time to see what's possible when the support is real and the vision is clear."