Atlanta Hawks star guard Trae Young could return to the court as early as tonight (Apr. 10). Tonight, the Hawks are scheduled to face the Charlotte Hornets in their home finale. With three games remaining on the schedule, they’ll close out the season against the Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers on the road.
Atlanta Hawks All-Star guard Trae Young is nearing a return and could play as soon as tonight vs. the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell ESPN. Young had been out since surgery to repair a torn ligament in a finger on February 25. The Hawks hold the final Eastern Play-In spot. pic.twitter.com/sORxcvOOnR
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 10, 2024
NBA Insider Reveals Imminent Return for Trae Young
Young tore his left pinky late in a matchup against the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 23. After undergoing surgery on Feb. 25, he was originally set to be sidelined for four weeks. With an Apr. 10 return date, Young is two weeks behind schedule.
Atlanta went 12-11 in the 23 games that Young was out.
Dejounte Murray is stepping up the most in his absence. The only other Hawks player that’s been named an All-Star in his career, Murray’s averaged 24.8 points, 9.2 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, shooting 36.4 percent from 3 since Feb. 25.
However, his engine has started to stall with the weight on his shoulders. In his last five games, Murray’s averaged 20.0 points per game on 38.6 percent from the field and 32.6 percent from 3.
With that said, the Hawks have played reasonably well without Young. Nonetheless, his return to the court comes at a great time. Young, an exceptional shot-creator and shot-maker, is averaging 26.4 points and 10.8 assists per game this season while shooting 37.1 percent from deep.
Furthermore, Atlanta is facing the Chicago Bulls in Play-In Tournament, which begins on Apr. 16. A single-elimination tournament, the Hawks will need all the firepower they can get. The Bulls are a middling team in many ways. Yet, they have two proven volume-scorers in DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic. 2024 Most Improved Player candidate Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu have scoring upside as well.
Trae Young’s Return Confirmed
Shortly before their matchup against the Hornets, Young’s return was confirmed.
Corner threes from Trae Young who returns tonight: pic.twitter.com/xe13x4hHgg
— JJ (@JameelahJNBA) April 10, 2024
Getting up 3-pointers during the pregame warmup, Young’s shooting stroke looked as fluid as ever.
Win or lose, the prior for Young and the Hawks will be getting their rhythm back. That said, a month and a half is a long time in NBA terms, so his conditioning will worth monitoring as well.
