The Atlanta Hawks completely cleared out the remnants of their recent rebuild this weekend, and their former franchise point guard is absolutely loving it from a distance. Washington Wizards star Trae Young publicly shaded Atlanta’s front office by dropping a blunt “My boy free!” comment on an Instagram farewell post from Zaccharie Risacher.
The social media jab capped off a chaotic Saturday that saw the Hawks ship Risacher—the top overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft—to the Dallas Mavericks on July 20. Atlanta abandoned the 21-year-old French wing after just two underwhelming seasons, opting to acquire veteran defensive specialist Luguentz Dort in a three-team trade to accelerate a win-now mentality.
Young knows the exit route well. The 27-year-old guard orchestrated his own departure to Washington in January 2026 after his relationship with the Atlanta front office completely dissolved. He secured a four-year, $212 million extension with the Wizards earlier this month, watching from the sidelines as the Hawks continue to overhaul the roster he left behind.
Risacher struggled to secure consistent minutes and development under Hawks head coach Quin Snyder. Dallas now takes over his development arc, bringing in a high-upside wing while Atlanta drastically alters its defensive identity with Dort. Young’s public endorsement of the exit essentially confirms what fans suspected about the internal dysfunction lingering inside State Farm Arena over the past two years.