After the Atlanta Hawks' season ended with a heartbreaking 131-116 loss to the Chicago Bulls in the play-in tournament, it's natural to wonder if the Trae Young era has come to an end.
At the peak of his career, Young was a playoff superstar who led the Hawks to the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals. He boasts endless defensive range and has regularly taken on playmaking duties for this team since entering the NBA in 2018.
However, the Hawks have regressed since 2021, when they went just two wins from an NBA Finals appearance.
Atlanta had to earn a playoff berth through the play-in tournament each of the past two seasons, but both campaigns ended with first-round losses to the top-seeded Miami Heat and Boston Celtics.
Then the wheels really came off in 2023-2024. A number of injuries (especially to Young, Saddiq Bey, Jalen Johnson, and DeAndre Hunter) certainly didn't help, but the Hawks had a disastrous defensive effort all year (rated 27th). Their offensive efficiency (12th) wasn't enough to make up for it.
Atlanta finished 10th in the Eastern Conference with 36 wins and 46 losses. On Wednesday, the Bulls defeated the Hawks from Chicago with Coby White scoring a game-high 42 points. Young had 22 points and 10 assists, but committed seven turnovers and the Hawks finished minus-27 with him on the floor.
Young had a productive season when healthy, appearing in his third All-Star Game and averaging 25.7 points and 10.8 assists. But his partnership with Dejounte Murray hasn't worked out well enough since the Hawks plucked him from the San Antonio Spurs two years ago.
Additionally, Young has struggled defensively throughout his NBA career, posting a defensive rating of 118 and a negative defensive box plus/minus in each of his six seasons.
Following Young's excellent performance, the Hawks signed a five-year contract extension worth $207 million in 2021, but the team's record has hovered around .500 over the past three years, with an official record of 36 wins and 46 losses. Now that we're heading in the wrong direction, perhaps now is the time. Time for change.
Young was a sensational superstar for this team at times, but the Hawks never came close to reaching the NBA Finals with him leading the way. He was a thug in the 2021 playoffs and made some great memories in Atlanta. For someone who has never had a Hawks teammate make the All-Star team, this was an incredible effort.
However, trade rumors have been floating around Young for a while, even though he only has two years left on his contract (plus a player option for the 2026-27 season).
Notably, Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus wrote this week that “many sources within the NBA believe Young will be on the move this summer if Atlanta can find a buyer.” The Los Angeles Lakers are a team believed to have serious interest.
With the Hawks' season officially over, all eyes are on the offseason to see if they make any big moves. At this point, people seem to feel that things need to change for Young and Atlanta as well. Perhaps as a second or third option on a championship contending team, Young could certainly thrive in his new environment. But that's not happening in Atlanta.
If Young's career in Atlanta is over, he will leave after appearing in three All-Star Games and being named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2022. The former Oklahoma star also averaged 25.5 points and 9.5 assists along the way.
