The Atlanta Hawks have to be one of the more surprising teams this year. Considering their advancement through the NBA Cup, are they to be taken more seriously? At 14-12 and seventh in the Eastern Conference, the Hawks and their star, Trae Young, are looking better than last year. The question is, what does this mean for Young’s future in Atlanta?
Hawks Star’s Horizon More Uncertain Pending Team’s Season
Is the Atlanta Hawks Surprising Season a Caveat for their Star Trae Young’s Future?
Two games above .500 is nothing to blow you away with regarding a team’s record shy of 30 games into the NBA season. Take the Los Angeles Lakers, for instance, who are 13-11—two games above .500—and the alarm bells are going off like war signals while LeBron James trade rumors are swirling. Two games above .500 for the Lakers is cause for major concern. In the case of the Atlanta Hawks, two games above .500 is likely two games above season expectations.
Last season, the Hawks finished 36-46 and made the play-in, but no further. Much of the campaign included Young’s name in trade rumors, coincidently involving the Lakers. In fact, his future in Atlanta entered the questioning conversation last off-season. Going into the current campaign, the Hawks were not expected to be competitive or in contending mode, and Young’s name was again talked about in trade rumors throughout the summer and still is. Put all that aside, and surprisingly, Atlanta is anything but non-competitive and even succeeded in advancing into the semis of the NBA Cup. So, is this unprecedented season’s start only a tease? Will the Hawks eventually fall off, or is this team a legitimate playoff contender? Additionally, suppose they are, and Atlanta continues to play well until the season’s end and earn a playoff berth. Where does that leave Young?
Season’s Success or Failure…Does it Matter?
The knock on Young lately has been he’s not the type of player that can lead a franchise to a championship. This view goes the opposite way when spoken about his draft class counterpart, Luka Doncic. As electrifying and talented as Young is, he’s widely considered a legitimate number two, not a number one. Agree or disagree, consider the Hawks playoff track record since drafting Young. They’ve never advanced further than the first round of the playoffs, save for their 2021 Eastern Conference Finals run.
Let’s turn our focus back to this season where expectations were low. Young has the Hawks sitting in a rather good spot. As a team, they’re playing good basketball. They’ve won seven of their last eight games. The supporting cast has also played a significant role. Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Andre Hunter, and offseason addition Dyson Daniels all playing their part to much applause.
So, with Young’s consistent presence in trade circles, does it matter where the Hawks end up this season? Is he bound to be moved regardless of a playoff berth? He is currently on a 4-5-year contract signed in 2021. After this season, he’s still on the hook for at least two more years. Still, if Atlanta can find the right trade partner either mid-season of this campaign or next summer, he could be gone sooner.
It Might Not Matter
Young’s future in Atlanta seems more bleak than promising, and that’s no matter if he manages to lead his team into the postseason and past the first round. Of course, perhaps a championship finals appearance could change things drastically. However, while this season has the makings of a surprising one for the Hawks, a finals run is a bridge too far. The team is playing right now. Still, we could be moving closer to the end of Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young’s tenure with the team. A winning season or not, it might not matter.
