Atlanta Hawks: Did Trae Young deserve to be an All-Star starter?
The Atlanta Hawks are without a starter in the All-Star game which they are hosting at State Farm Arena on March 7. There are a number of changes to the event but what remains the same is there are five starters on each team and this year, Trae Young is not one of them.
The five starters for the East are Kevin Durant (captain), Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving, and Bradley Beal. It is very difficult to question the frontcourt starters for the East. Durant has been incredible since his return from injury, Antetokounmpo is still playing at an MVP level and Embiid is a huge reason for the Philadelphia 76ers being on top in the East.
Bradley Beal is also a lock for a starter role. He has been the lone, consistent force on a struggling Washington Wizards squad. He is averaging 32.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. He is leading the league in scoring.
Who is the competition for Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young?
The other starter in the backcourt for the East is Kyris Irving who is averaging 27.7 points, 4.7 rebounds. and 5.6 assists per game. While these are good numbers, he is one of three All-Star caliber players on the Brooklyn Nets squad.
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His teammate James Harden could have easily been named as a starter, as could have Jaylen Brown, Ben Simmons, and Zach LaVine. They all have the numbers to match Irving but not, it appears, the support of the fans, media, or other players.
Likewise, Trae Young, a starter last season in the All-Star game, could not crack the starting lineup for the game. He was sixth in both fan returns, a long way behind the two starters. So the question remains, did Young deserve to be a starter?
Last season, prior to the All-Star game, Young was named a starter averaging 29.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game. This season he is averaging 26.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game.
His production is slightly down, Young has had his struggles throughout the 2020-21 season. He has not had his usual impact on games. It is partially due to the injury-ravaged nature of the squad, but also due to the opposing defense’s adapting to slow him down.
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So did he deserve to be an All-Star starter? No, he has not had the start of the season to warrant selection over other players who are playing better on winning teams. However, he does deserve to be on the bench, giving Atlanta an All-Star in their home event.