For the Atlanta Hawks, who have been stuck in the depths of mediocrity for years, securing the presence of one of the NBA’s best players on their roster should be a priority. But the Trae Young situation has pushed things exactly in the opposite direction.
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There’s still no new deal on the table, even as the danger of Young becoming an unrestricted free agent next year looms large. Robert Horry recently spoke about the situation, pointing out the absurdity in the situation.
Horry, a seven-time NBA champion, is surprised that Young, despite being one of the league’s best scorers, is disliked. He doesn’t have nearly as many fans as some of the other superstars in the league.
It is, in a way, understandable since his 2021 playoff run cemented him as the ultimate villain of the Eastern Conference. However, there is no denying how talented Young is and how valuable he remains to the Hawks.
The fact that Atlanta hasn’t sent a proposal over to him yet has sparked rumors that they are now planning a future without him. So, is trading him away to some other team in exchange for a plethora of assets the right move? Horry doesn’t think so.
“I think it’s the weirdest situation ever. You look at what Trae does on the court, and he’s still hated. There’s so many people that aren’t fans,” the former Los Angeles Lakers star said on the Big Shot Bob podcast.
“It’s hard to trade someone like Trae Young,” Horry continued. And it’s not because he feels Young is ‘untouchable’ and ‘irreplaceable’. It’s because teams will be scared to bring him on board.
“It’s just, teams are afraid of him. You look at him, [and] he’s a liability on the defense. He’s so little, and he [is] a niche player. So Trae Young is a type of player… to me, he’s like the Allen Iverson of this era. You look at what Allen Iverson did for the Sixers, everyone he had on the team, they were designated for that one specific theme that fit Allen Iverson,” added Horry.
Moments after praising him, Horry criticized aspects of Young’s game. He may seem self-contradictory here. But what Horry meant to point out was that, like Iverson, Young needs the right set of players around him in Atlanta to shine. Perhaps that’s what the Hawks’ front office should focus on.
“Trae has nothing to prove”, says NBA Insider
Not everyone looks at both sides of the coin. Horry gave a balanced view on the Young situation, praised him for what he’s good at, and called him out for his weaknesses.
Marc J. Spears, on the other hand, is baffled that the Hawks have not made Young’s extension a priority.
During an ESPN segment, Spears insisted that if the Hawks don’t put an offer on the table soon, Young could start thinking of a future away from Atlanta.
“So don’t be surprised if, at this point, he plays this out and sees what happens next summer. But to me, Trae has nothing to prove. He’s a star,” said Spears.
“He’s the face. He’s their new Dominque Wilkins. He’s one of the best shooters in the league. I don’t think he has anything to prove, but there’s new sheriffs in town who want to figure out with this young group,” he added, suggesting that the Hawks may, in fact, plan for the coming seasons without him.
For now, Young remains a Hawk. But how committed he will be when he puts the uniform on in a couple of months’ time remains to be seen.
