BREAKING NEWS: The Atlanta Hawks are entering into a pivotal offseason
The Atlanta Hawks are heading into a crucial offseason after defying the odds to secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. However, the 2024 draft class is widely regarded by experts as one of the weakest in decades, which diminishes the trade leverage typically associated with the top pick.
As a result, the Hawks’ most valuable asset, assuming they choose not to trade Jalen Johnson, remains Trae Young. Yet, there are significant questions surrounding Young’s value. Although he is on a max contract, opinions vary on whether he truly merits such a deal. If Atlanta considers trading Young, the San Antonio Spurs have been frequently mentioned as a potential destination. Pairing Young with Victor Wembanyama could be advantageous, as Wembanyama’s defensive prowess might compensate for Young’s defensive shortcomings.
However, according to Jack Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Spurs, who hold the No. 4 and No. 8 picks in the draft and could be seen as a logical trade partner for the Hawks, have shown “little interest” in acquiring Young.
San Antonio personnel would be committing front-office malpractice if they didn’t at least consider the opportunity to pair a league assist leader and high-screen expert like Trae Young with Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs are currently treating their strategy for building around Wembanyama as an intriguing experiment, taking into account various factors regarding their Rookie of the Year.
However, despite speculation, multiple league insiders indicate that any plans the Spurs might have to acquire Young have been exaggerated. According to sources, the Spurs have shown little interest in obtaining Young so far. Jack Fischer of Yahoo Sports corroborated this by reporting that the Lakers, with three trade-eligible first-round picks, are indeed interested in Young. However, players like Donovan Mitchell and Brandon Ingram would be more desirable if they became available.
The Hawks find themselves in a difficult situation. While Young is undoubtedly the team’s best player, his impact has not been transformative. Aside from an unexpected run to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021, which in hindsight appears to have been aided by favorable matchups, Young has not proven to be a franchise-changing player. This season, Atlanta finished below .500 and has been stuck in the Play-In Tournament for the past two years.
Young consistently puts up impressive numbers, but he is a defensive liability and is often seen as challenging to play with due to his ball-dominant style and lack of off-ball movement. Additionally, while his three-point shooting has improved to 37% on high volume this year, it still falls short of what his talent suggests he could achieve.
The question of whether Young can lead a championship contender is met with skepticism. Currently, most would say no, despite him being paid like a player who can. This disparity poses a significant problem, one that the Spurs, it seems, are not eager to take on.