Through the first month of the 2025 NBA season, the Atlanta Hawks have gotten off to a surprisingly strong start. Despite their early-season hurdles, most notably Trae Young and his MCL injury, the Hawks have climbed to a 9-6 record, sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
In nine games without Trae Young, this Hawks team has shown more offensive stability than expected. With a 7-2 stretch without Trae and a five-game win streak at the moment, Atlanta's offense has done more than just be adequate without their star; they have absolutely thrived.
When Trae Young went down with his injury versus the Brooklyn Nets, the consensus was that this offense would inevitably stall. However, through this stretch, Dyson Daniels has picked up the slack for this Atlanta offense. Daniels, who is known for his defensive instincts, has shown impressive strides on the offensive end so far during this stretch.
This past offseason, Dyson Daniels found himself with more opportunities to hone in on his own craft. With his first two offseasons spent on international tournaments, Daniels noted that this was the first offseason he was able to train independently, and whatever he worked on has seemed to translate well so far.
In addition to his already efficient defensive numbers, averaging 6 rebounds and 2.3 steals a game, Daniels has also taken a noticeable leap on the offensive side, averaging 10.5 points and 7 assists without Trae Young.
Daniels has been the funnel for this Atlanta offense so far, and as a team, they have exceeded early-season expectations by a mile. Despite this success, the continuity of Daniels and the offensive system he operates in has raised questions about the leadership of this team moving forward.
This Quin Snyder offense may be more effective without Trae's playstyle
Without Trae Young being able to orchestrate the offense, Atlanta has had to lean more towards the system it was built on. When Trae Young isn't on the floor creating plays that only he could make, this system has flourished, and there's a real concern now regarding which direction Quin Snyder wants to take this team once Trae does return.
Considering what is approaching in the offseason with Trae Young's extension, the latter half of this Trae Young-less Hawks stretch will have major implications for whether an extension ever gets signed.
Trae Young has been a generational athlete ever since he entered the league back in 2018. Still, this system has looked a lot more functional without him, and they've had much more stability on defense without the worry of his liabilities.
Over the past couple seasons, we've seen championship teams being built off of a system rather than a reliance on their sole superstar. The Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder are the most recent examples of this, and while both teams had a clear superstar, they achieved championship status through the system.
In no way does Atlanta's current success indicate a breakup on the horizon, but it has raised the question for future discussions. With at least another six games without Trae ahead, their team's performance in this stretch could have significant implications later, when it comes time for Trae to sign an extension.
A new era in Atlanta?
Regardless of what direction Atlanta decides to go in, one thing has been made clear: Dyson Daniels has to be incorporated into whatever system they implement.
Ever since taking over for Trae at point guard, Atlanta has been consistent on both offense and defense with Daniels at the helm, something that couldn't be said for past teams with Trae Young anchoring the system.
If this success and stability can continue, which it absolutely can, this will force the Hawks' front office to reevaluate their system structure and team identity. Right now, the Hawks are winning, and the team has been lights out with Dyson Daniels at point guard, so fans should be happy with the identity that's being formed, regardless of who is at the top of the key.
For the first time in a long time, Atlanta has found a strong identity on both sides of the ball. While this may have major implications in the future, it's not something to fret about currently. We'll still get to see what Trae looks like in this new system once he comes back, so at the very least, this experience will only strengthen the rotation for Trae's inevitable return.