There is significant doubts about the Atlanta Hawks’ ceiling as it currently stands. Their fit with the three-time All-Star’s numbers needs to be improved, though how that will impact their record remains uncertain as they are still retooling their roster for the 2024-25 season.
In the meantime, Young is preparing for the upcoming campaign with some summer racing in California, where he lives and trains during the offseason.
Young was seen on his last run alongside Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine.
Trae Young and Zach Lavine play basketball together at USC 🔥 (via handlelife/IG) pic.twitter.com/7rl4kAYbkO
— Overtime (@overtime) August 20, 2024
The video, originally shared by Managing Life on Instagram August 19 offers a glimpse of what life might look like for the Hawks if they make an (admittedly unlikely) inquiry into LaVine’s availability via trade during the season.
LaVine has been on the trade list for nearly two seasons and presents a litany of red flags for an organization that already has enough issues to force a reorganization.
Among LaVine’s most notable issues are his injury history and his contract.
He played in 25 games in 2023-24, averaging 19.5 points per game and shooting 57.8 percent from the field, two of his lowest numbers since at least the 2019-20 season. He is also owed $138 million over the final three years of his five-year, $215.1 million contract.
Still, LaVine averaged 24.8 points on 60.7 percent shooting while appearing in 77 games in 2022-23.
He underwent season-ending foot surgery amid trade rumors linking him to the Detroit Pistons.
The Bulls also sent offers to half the league, but they were rejected, leaving both sides in a difficult situation where they are ready for a change. A slow start for the team could fuel that desire.
Coming up with a trade plan could also prove tricky, likely costing the Hawks a combination of two players in Bogdan Bogdanovic, Clint Capela and DeAndre Hunter as a base.
The three Hawks have arrived commercial speculation.
LaVine has flashed more defensive potential than he’s shown regularly, though concerns about his pairing with Young could magnify his deficiencies in that regard. His skillset makes him a dangerous off-ball threat.
He would also add an element above the basket that the Hawks otherwise lack.
However, the financial commitments and risks the Hawks would inherit outweigh most of the potential benefits of adding LaVine in a trade, even if the Bulls give him up.
