The Atlanta Hawks have struggled in 2023. They currently sit tenth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 24-32. This puts them three games up on the next closest team, but they seem destined for a play-in tournament loss. Things are not going to get easier for this team. Trae Young injured his pinkie finger, which will require surgery. The recovery is expected to take at least four weeks.
Atlanta Hawks Trae Young Out With Finger Injury
The surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. Trae Young will be evaluated in four weeks. With an injury like this, he could be out longer, depending on his recovery. He has been the best offensive player on the Atlanta Hawks. Young averages a double-double with 26.4 points and 10.8 assists. The team will now have to figure out how to replace his scoring and playmaking.
Dejounte Murray will likely carry more of the load on the offensive end. He will be the primary ball-handler, so his assist numbers may increase. The Atlanta Hawks are hanging onto the tenth seed. While it seems unlikely they would lose it, plenty of games remain to be played.
What Should The Atlanta Hawks Do With Trae Young?
Outside of one deep playoff run, the Atlanta Hawks have not seen success with Trae Young. He has put up All-Star caliber numbers, but they haven’t led to winning. Many fans and analysts have been wondering whether the team will look to trade Young. This would reset the team as they move into the next era. However, it is one thing to decide to move a player and another actually to do it.
It takes two to trade. The Atlanta Hawks could want to trade him, but another team has to find him valuable. There is no question about his scoring ability. However, he has deficiencies on defense. Great scorers can target him and score with ease. They may be disappointed with the return they are able to get.
The injury to Trae Young may force the Atlanta Hawks to evaluate their future. This will be a storyline to watch in the offseason. Will the Hawks decide to stick it out with Young or blow it up and start all over?
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Matt has been following sports since he was a kid. While football is his primary focus, Matt can talk about any sport anytime. He is a banker in Wisconsin and hosts two podcasts, Beers and Ears & Discontinued on Display.
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