The Atlanta Hawks are set to get multiple rotation players back, many of whom have either played sparingly or who have yet to play at all this season. 2019 No. 4 pick De’Andre Hunter, who is averaging a career-high 18.0 points per game, and Serbian sharpshooter Bogdan Bogdanovic are chief among them. However, the Hawks are tight-lipped about an injury sustained by a star who’s played in all but one game this season: 2018 No. 5 pick Trae Young.
Hawks Tight-Lipped About Trae Young’s Achilles Injury
Young has been diagnosed with right Achilles tendinitis but the team won’t say much more than that. Asked about Young’s status ahead of the In-Season Tournament opener, Hawks head coach Quin Snyder told reporters he’s “not going to get into the specifics…”
Quin Snyder: “I’m not going to get into the specifics of (Trae Young’s injury), but obviously he’s out tonight and we gotta figure out how to, without him and a number of guys … how to play well and compete … he’s a big part of what we do and he’s the engine, so it’s an…
— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) November 12, 2024
Snyder certainly isn’t the first coach to be mum about a player’s injury and he won’t be the last. Nonetheless, a player of Young’s caliber being out with an Achilles injury is going to raise a lot of questions. All of the literature regarding Achilles tendinitis has made it clear that Young could be out for an extended period. With the possibility that tendinitis can also become a chronic issue, it’s even more concerning.
Of course, Snyder doesn’t have to share that information with the media. The Hawks only have to answer to the NBA office so far as divulging medical information. However, being left in the dark about the details could lead to undue speculation. Honestly, even this article could be evidence of that.
Can They Survive Without Him?
Whether Young is out for the rest of the week or until the end of the calendar year, playing without him presents major challenges for the Hawks.
On the season, the seven-year veteran is averaging 23.9 points and 11.5 assists per game, both team-highs. As Snyder summarized, he’s their offensive engine, even if they’re looking to have a more balanced attack this season. Without Young, Hawks players have to find even more ways to create advantages for themselves and their teammates. They also have to be more reliant on their defense; without Young, they simply may not have the firepower to keep up in a high-scoring game.
Did Their Last Win Prove Anything?
In their first game without Young this season, Atlanta was able to take down the mighty Boston Celtics. This required a couple of players to have career-nights, namely Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels. They also got hyper-efficient outputs from Clint Capela, Larry Nance Jr., and Onyeka Okongwu. However, they only won by one-point after an Okongwu putback with six seconds left.
Put another way, those types of wins may not have been sustainable. With that being said, the Celtics are title-contenders looking to go back to back. Against lesser teams, the Hawks should have a fighting chance.
Daniels can’t be expected to score at a high rate every night. Nonetheless, since being unshackled by the New Orleans Pelicans, he’s proven that his pre-draft evaluation as a two-way playmaker was right. Johnson may not record a triple-double every night. Still, he’s a nightly triple-double threat due to his usage, aggressive mindset, and skill level. Nance might not go 5-6 from downtown for the rest of the season. Yet, multiple players in their supporting cast who could get hot.
On top of that, Hunter, Bogdanovic and others are nearing their return. So, if Young does miss some time, there’s reason to believe that the Hawks’ ‘other guys’ will be able to step up.
