What a night it was for Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young. First, the two-time All-Star and All-NBA selection knocked put up 34 points in back-to-back wins over the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
Then, Young got to work on his doubters as Mike Bell, of “Dukes & Bell” on 92.9 The Game in Atlanta, who quoted Young’s tweet that had a caption about overcoming adversity.
It did not go well.
OK! Just more like last two. https://t.co/h2IwE0uKiV
— MikeBell929 (@MikeBellATL) February 27, 2023
“Shut up h**. I don’t play for you,” Young replied with a laughing face emoji.
Young has been taken to task in the media for the firing of the second head coach he has played for. He has come out and tried to dispel the idea that he pushed for former head coach Nate McMillan’s firing or that he wants to have a say in who is the next head coach – Young took the opportunity to restate his faith in the front office.
Atlanta radio has been no different and Bell was certainly among them.
So @ATLHawks GM Landy Fields said @TheTraeYoung will have no say in the hiring of the next coach.
— MikeBell929 (@MikeBellATL) February 22, 2023
Which is silly. If Trae's gonna get him fired he might as well get him hired.
During the exchange with Young, Bell informed Young that, due to the 10-game package of ticked the local host purchases every season, he does play for him to which Young again had a retort ready.
“You PAY to watch me. There’s a difference in an OWNER. #Levels,” Young replied.
Young and the Hawks are 2-0 coming out of the All-Star break with interim head coach Joe Prunty doing a good job of showing just what this team is capable of in his stint.
A stint that will now come to an end.
Quin Snyder sends message after agreeing to become Atlanta Hawks HC
New Atlanta Hawks general manager Landry Fields wasted no time getting his man, agreeing to terms with former Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder on a five-year deal (including this season), per ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski adds that Snyder could be on the sidelines as soon as Tuesday’s tilt against the Washington Wizards.
“I am thrilled to go back to Atlanta as the next head coach of the Hawks,” Snyder said in a statement released via the team’s website. “Landry has a tremendous reputation as an incredibly bright, high character, high quality individual and it was quickly evident that we share a passion and commitment to building a winning team with a strong foundation and high standards.”
Fields has been assertive in his role and seemingly aggressive with his moves.
First with his decision to move on from McMillan and, now, on to Snyder who takes over the position at 56 years old, the same age McMillan was when he took over for Lloyd Pierce in-season in 2021.
“From our first conversation, it was clear that Quin had all the characteristics we were looking for in our next head coach,” Fields said in the same release. “He has both an incredible basketball and emotional IQ, and we share the same core values and basketball philosophies of having honest communication and collaboration with players, tremendous attention to detail and placing a great emphasis on player development.”
As the release notes, Snyder’s Jazz allowed the fewest points in the NBA during his tenure.
Snyder is expected to get the Hawks back to their pick-and-roll roots they were so successful with in 2021 before McMillan revamped his staff.
“Coach Mac is more so, I’d say, suited for guys who are in a different part of their careers,” John Collins said. “And just us being as young as we are, I feel like we need to focus on just a couple different things.”
The Hawks went from the 12th-oldest team in 2022 to the fifth-youngest this season, per RealGM.