Atlanta Hawks: 4 Takeaways from Media Day 2018
By Chris Guest
No Decision on Starting Point Guard
Another major takeaway from media day was that it seems the starting point guard spot will be open for competition, according to a Tweet from Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
I asked Lloyd Pierce who will start at point guard - Jeremy Lin or Trae Young. “Competition,” was the answer referring to training camp.
— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) September 20, 2018
We have long believed that Jeremy Lin will actually eke out the starting gig to start the year, even though Trae Young is clearly the most important player on the team going forward.
Though tossing him into the fire headfirst might be the quickest way for him to get acclimated to the league’s frenetic and physical playstyle, it might also lead to a swift and brutal downfall – something that we would prefer never happen to the ATL’s own Ice Trae.
Starting Lin at the point would not only be Lin’s legions of fans flocking to watch Hawks game (which is a bonus), but it would also allow Young to come off the bench as a big-name substitute. He would hopefully feast against backup units, allowing himself to learn against the “B-Team” before he’s ready to jump into the fray as the Atlanta Hawks starting PG.
Lin is a solid defender and everything that new Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce has said makes it seem as if he’s prepared to focus on instilling a defensive-minded approach from the outset. If that means sitting Lin to start games and bringing him in to spell Lin in order to set the defensive tone, then Hawks fans must be prepared for that scenario.