As the Atlanta Hawks get set to tackle the Miami Heat within the Eastern Conference’s 7-8 play-in recreation on Tuesday night time, there’s an actual risk that this would be the final postseason, for nevertheless lengthy it lasts, that the core of this group stays in place.
Specifically, may Trae Young be in a special uniform prior to later? According to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor: “[The] Hawks’ entrance workplace has the inexperienced mild from possession to do no matter it desires to with the roster, which incorporates contemplating commerce alternatives involving All-Star level guard Trae Young.”
More from O’Connor:
This ought to come as no actual shock contemplating what’s transpired over the course of the season. In March, Hawks proprietor Tony Ressler advised The Athletic’s Jeff Schultz he is neither opening nor closing the door on any gamers being moved.
Months earlier, Shams Charania and Sam Amick reported on escalating tensions between Young and former head coach Nate McMillan, resulting in group conferences and questions on Young’s management. Players reportedly sided with the coach over their star participant.
Things received so ugly that TNT’s Chris Haynes reported that Young might request a commerce this summer season if the Hawks fail to make “inroads” within the playoffs.
This is the place we’re at with many star gamers as of late. They do not need to take any of the duty for when issues do not go as deliberate. Instead of committing to extra off-ball motion or truly taking part in some protection, issues that may take Atlanta, a gifted group, to a completely totally different stage, Young would, in keeping with the Haynes report referenced, apparently quite simply go some other place and let the narrative replicate that Atlanta could not present him with the required elements to compete with the massive boys.
To O’Connor’s level, Atlanta may determine to maneuver on from him whether or not Young desires to go or not. Young is an unbelievable offensive power, however there may be little proof {that a} group can really compete with him as one of the best participant or maybe with him on the roster in any respect. He solely desires to play on his offensive phrases, and defenders who’re focused as typically and simply as Young are virtually unimaginable to compensate for in playoff settings.
You can level to Atlanta’s 2021 Eastern Conference finals run as proof that Young can win, however we have seen sufficient over these final two years to fairly conclude that was a fortunate-matchup fluke. The Knicks had been a particularly flawed, restricted 4-seed. The Sixers and Ben Simmons got here aside on the seams in actual time.
For the Hawks, it will be a bitter capsule to swallow to commerce Young. They traded Luka Doncic to get him, for crying out loud. But that was one other regime. Neither Quin Snyder nor Landry Fields had something to do with that call. If they deem Young as a extra useful commerce asset than a franchise participant, then they will commerce him. And actually, it won’t be the worst transfer.
