"This why you pay the man early" - Trae Young drops fiery take on Micah Parsons sharing behind-the-scenes drama of impending Cowboys exit

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young showed his support for Micah Parsons after the linebacker requested a trade from the Dallas Cowboys.

Parsons announced his trade request on Friday, saying he had grown tired of "shots" being fired at him amid stalled contract negotiations.

Young replied to Parsons' tweet, saying the Cowboys should not have dragged their heels.

"This why you pay the man early, when someone will take less early to stay in a place he wanted to be forever, you do it… the price only goes up now! Get what you deserve bro!" Young tweeted on Friday.

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Parsons, a four-time Pro Bowler, has been among the best NFL players since being drafted by the Cowboys as the No. 12 pick in 2021. He is entering the fifth and final season of his rookie contract, but wanted a deal done much earlier.

"Unfortunately I no longer want to be here. I no longer want to be held to close door negotiations without my agent present. I no longer want shots taken at me for getting injured while laying it on the line for the organization, our fans and my teammates. I no longer want narratives created and spread to the media about me," Parsons wrote on X.

Meanwhile, Trae Young will be in his eighth season with the Hawks in 2025-26. Last season, Young put up 24.2 points and a career-best 11.6 assists per game on 41.1% shooting (34.0% from 3-point range) in 76 games.

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Trae Young's Atlanta Hawks could make a run in the East next season

Trae Young's Atlanta Hawks have made some interesting moves this offseason. ESPN's Chris Herring named Atlanta among the top contenders in a wide-open Eastern Conference next season.

Herring listed the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks in "Tier 1." The NBA analyst placed the Hawks, the Orlando Magic and the Philadelphia 76ers in "Tier 2: Teams on the cusp after reloading."

The Hawks traded away Clint Capela, who was removed from the starting lineup last season in place of Onyeka Okongwu. Atlanta also acquired former All-Star Kristaps Porzingis, versatile wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker and sharpshooter Luke Kennard.

While Porzingis has been injury-prone throughout his career, he is effective when he's on the floor. The 7-foot-3 center played a key role in the Boston Celtics' 2024 championship run. He will provide additional firepower behind Trae Young. Alexander-Walker and Kennard will also be key rotation pieces for the Hawks.

Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos