When Trae Young went down with a knee injury at the end of October, the question was whether or not the Atlanta Hawks would be able to survive an extended period without the All-Star. They didn’t have another viable creator on the roster like Young, so there were expected to be some growing pains as the Hawks navigated his absence.
So far, the Hawks have thrived without their point guard. In the ten games he has missed, Atlanta has gone 7-3. They are sixth in defensive rating, 13th in offensive rating, and ninth in overall net rating in that span.
Jalen Johnson has been otherworldly in Young’s absence, looking like an All-Star. Dyson Daniels, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have stepped as the primary ball-handlers. Onyeka Okongwu is having a career season, and has gone over 20 points in four consecutive games. With all the success the Hawks are having, it makes this Trae Young reality even clearer.
Atlanta must heavily consider moving Young at the trade deadline
The results with Young on the court this season have not been pretty. The Hawks have a -9.8 net rating with him on the court, including a 125.7 defensive rating. Young has been a liability on the defensive end of the floor his entire career, although that has more to do with his size than anything.
With him off the floor, Atlanta can run bigger lineups like Alexander-Walker-Daniels-Johnson-Okongwu-Porzingis. This gives them more length defensively, and allows them to have a nice mix of perimeter stoppers and rim protection. They don’t have to worry about covering for Young, and can cause even more chaos defensively.
Even the Hawks offense looks smoother. Ball movement, cutting, and pace have been their friends. With Young at the helm, the offense is a lot more pick-and-roll reliant, due to his elite ability to create for big men. However, this version of Atlanta is a lot less predictable.
The Hawks could get replace Trae Young at the deadline
Atlanta didn’t sign Young to an extension in the offseason, a sign that the front office has questions about his place as their franchise player. Given their success so far without him, those questions are only going to get louder.
Young is going to want max money. Do the Hawks want to pay him that? Or would they rather have more flexibility and bring in a combination of cheaper options? That is what Atlanta has to ask themselves as the season goes on, especially if the team continues to succeed with Young sidelined.