5 NBA players everyone should be keeping a close eye on in 2023-24

2. G Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks are a team that could swing either way this season. Two years ago, the Hawks seemed on the verge of greatness. Last year, they felt more like a powder keg. It all begins and ends with Trae Young.

There was always a sense of intrigue last offseason when the Hawks spun a deal for another lead guard, Dejounte Murray. Atlanta doubled down on the Young-Murray duo by handing the latter a four-year, $120 million extension.

Young’s scoring took a slight backseat and his passing numbers improved. His scoring dropped to 26.2 points per game, but he averaged more than 10 assists per game for the first time in his career. Young’s three-point shooting took a notable hit, knocking down 33.5 percent of his threes, his worst since his rookie season.

Young does plenty on the court, but his best asset has always been his ability to pop a shot from anywhere on the court, a la Steph Curry. If he’s not doing that at an elite level, the Hawks immediately become a different team.

Real or not, the reported tension between Young and former coach Nate McMillan will no longer be an issue, as the coach is gone, replaced midseason by Quin Snyder. He did a great job taking the Utah Jazz up a notch, even if that team didn’t hit the ultimate success by the end of his tenure. The gelling between Young and Snyder began last year but ideally continued this summer.

With John Collins jettisoned to the Jazz, the fulcrum of the Hawks is clearly the Murray-Young duo going forward. As the more dynamic – and polarizing – player, the onus is on Young to lead the way. Either way, it should be fascinating to watch.