When Trae Young After helping the Atlanta Hawks reach the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals, they looked like future title contenders. However, the last three seasons have brought nothing but disappointment to Atlanta fans. Forget about being championship contenders, they’re not even making the playoffs anymore. Hence, rumors of Young and the Hawks parting ways have gained momentum this offseason.
Jeff Teague, who spent his first seven seasons with the Hawks, doesn’t believe the Hawks want to get rid of Ice Trae despite the team’s disrepair. Teague addressed the three-time All-Star’s situation with the franchise on his Twitter account. Club 520 podcast.
The 2021 NBA champion highlighted the role of the Hawks’ head coaches since Young joined the franchise in 2018. According to Teague, coach Nate McMillan brought out the best in the Hawks’ guard in 2021, which helped them reach the conference finals.
While the Hawks have been a subpar team since then, Young has further expanded his offensive arsenal. Teague has suggested that the franchise has not provided him with the support needed to be competitive in the NBA since his appearance at the 2021 ECF.
However, Teague’s co-host DJ Wells insisted that the Hawks aren’t going anywhere unless they trade Young and rebuild without him. But Teague disagreed. He felt that the franchise doesn’t have a face to build around yet.
Ice Trae is too valuable to let go as he is still one of the best offensive players in the league. The former Hawks guard argued that fans would lose interest in the team if the franchise got rid of their favorite player, which would hurt them financially.
“Man, you can’t trade Trae Young. You still gotta put butts in seats. He’s a must-see on TV, when he plays basketball, he’s a showman. He gets 40, 28, and 11. Atlanta loves him, the fans love him,” Teague said.
Additionally, Teague doesn’t think the Hawks are currently getting enough return for a superstar-caliber player like Young. What would be the point in parting ways with a player they’ve developed over the last seven seasons without getting someone who can’t provide the same contribution?
Teague was clearly right about Young’s stature in the league and in the city of Atlanta. But the Atlanta point guard has hinted he may be done with the Hawks.
Trae Young’s situation in Atlanta is delicate
As 2024 free agency began, news of Young’s departure from the franchise became ripe. On X, the 25-year-old I liked a post who praised the Dallas Mavericks’ tremendous personnel changes around their superstar Luka Doncic in recent years. This implied that the elite point guard was not happy with the way the Hawks have built the team around him.
In May, Young uploaded a childhood photo of himself wearing a Spurs jersey with his mother. Fans speculated that this was a sign of a potential collaboration with their franchise, Victor Wembanyama, in the near future. However, the rumor didn’t get much traction.
Growing up in Pampa, Texas, it was only natural that he would root for a Texas franchise. Plus, the Trae Young rumors have cooled off lately, meaning the Hawks and their current face would be staying together for now. But a rough start to the 2024-25 season could change that drastically.
