Why Are the Hawks Building Around Trae Young but Hesitant to Secure Their Star’s Future?

Young is a star — an explosive scorer and visionary playmaker, a four-time All-Star and one-time All-NBA selection. He led the NBA in assists last season and has averaged more than 20 points and 10 dimes per game in each of the last three seasons. Only Russell Westbrook, Oscar Robertson, James Harden and Isiah Thomas have more 20-and-10 seasons than Young, who led the Hawks to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021.Advertisement

“You know, Trae has done a lot to show that he’s invested in the Hawks,” Spears said. “Nickeil Alexander-Walker, [Luke] Kennard — he convinced them to sign with the Hawks … he came to Summer League, and he got to meet with Bryson Graham, the new president, [and] some of the other new front-office guys. There’s a new front office in Atlanta that’s trying to make decisions, but what I’m hearing at this point — and you can tell by Trae’s tweet, and I saw him during the Finals — he’s disappointed that it hasn’t come, it hasn’t been offered. So don’t be surprised at this point [if] he plays this out and sees what happens next summer. But to me, Trae has nothing to prove. He’s a star.”Advertisement

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It’s possible, of course, that Trae Young’s post contained no subtext — that it was just a message of solidarity with his fellow star athlete.Advertisement