Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young turned into a superstar right before our eyes

With the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals for just the second time in the last 50 years, there’s no denying the superstar abilities that Trae Young brings to the table. In doing so, Young has either broken, set, or joined many NBA records throughout his first run in the playoffs.

Throughout his three years in the NBA, Young has consistently produced breathtaking numbers during the regular season and stunningly has not let the stage of the playoffs deter his game any. In his first two playoff series, Young averaged 29.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game on 41.3/ 33.0/ 87.7 shooting splits throughout the first two rounds of the playoffs this year.

Trae Young has carried the Atlanta Hawks through the playoffs. It’s only a matter of time before players around the NBA start wanting to play with Young.

Young’s impressive playoff run didn’t come to an end at the Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks in game one. In fact, Young scored 48 points, tying LeBron James and Kobe Bryant for the most points scored in a postseason game before turning 23 years old. He also finished the game with seven rebounds and 11 assists on the night.

Throughout the entirety of the playoffs, Young has showcased himself as being a fearless competitor who won’t allow his team to lose. Impressive to say the least, Young has led the Atlanta Hawks to Game One victories in each round of the playoffs as the away team, running his team through the New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Bucks.

Young’s production this season has made him one of the top players in the NBA. He finished the regular season in the top 20 in scoring with 25.3 points per game and was third in the league with 9.4 assists per game. It’s fair to say that Young proved he can lead a team through the playoffs and that should be enough to attract a top free agent this offseason.

Young’s impressive playoff performances have taken many people by surprise, as they didn’t think the All-Star point guard had what it takes to lead a team through the playoffs. However, Young has always had superstar potential since he’s been in the NBA. By doing so, Young has averaged 24.1 points and 8.9 assists per game during his three-year career thus far.

This playoff run proved that Young has taken his game to the next level. You can see it with the way he maneuvers around the court and runs the floor. Most notably, Young has great court awareness and is a master at drawing fouls no matter who is guarding him or where he is on the court. He’s able to stop on a dime and draw a foul while pulling up for a shot. Masterfully, Young is able to create contact on defenders who are on either side of him or even on a defender who is trailing behind him.

It’s been made evident this season that the Atlanta Hawks have a special player in Young. It’s worth mentioning that the Hawks didn’t necessarily lose the trade that was made on draft night in 2018 that sent the draft rights to Luka Doncic to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Young and a future first-round draft pick.

At the conclusion of the season, Young will be eligible for a max-level contract extension, in which he has earned every penny of this season. Should Atlanta show any hesitation with inking a max-contract, there’s always the possibility of Young testing out the free-agent market to get a feel for what other teams around the league value him at. All in all, the Hawks need to sign Trae Young to a long-term deal so that they can build around him and hope to continue advancing to the playoffs for years to come.