Trae Young may never be a plus defender, but with his elite offense and the new pieces the Atlanta Hawks have put around him, that may not matter. In a weak Eastern Conference, Young’s offense may be enough to lift the new-look Hawks to a deep playoff run.
“I really think that Trae Young is going to really enjoy playing with his new toys,” said David Jacoby of The Ringer. “And I think that the headline is the offseason that they had, the young core that they’re developing, but I think the real story is Trae Yong. What he can do offensively with the basketball, scoring and assisting, is unmatched around the league.
“To me, he’s like a top-eight offensive engine, and I think that, with these players around him, with Dyson Daniels’ defense, Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s defense, they can hide him. I think they’re going to win a lot of games. A lot of games. I’ll be watching.”
But just how much will defense matter?
Can Trae Young win without defense?
Back in 2021, the Hawks made a run to the Eastern Conference finals. It was a different league then. Different teams, different competition, and a very different Hawks roster. The point is, Young has made it deep into the playoffs before. And his defense wasn’t any better back then. If anything, it was probably worse.
Fast forward to now, and the Hawks’ roster has improved. Dyson Daniels was a Defensive Player of the Year finalist last year. Kristaps Porzingis (when healthy) is an elite two-way big man. Jalen Johnson is a young emerging star. Zaccharie Risacher looks like a blossoming elite 3-and-D wing.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker was an impressive wing defender last year who hit his shots when it mattered most. Luke Kennard can shoot the ball at the highest level. Onyeka Okongwu is a quality rim-running center.
Atlanta has all the tools. And they have one of the best offensive players in the NBA leading the show. That alone should be enough to compete in the postseason.
But add in the fact that the Eastern Conference is extremely weak. Add in that Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton are both going to miss most (if not all) of next season. Add the fact that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks look rough, and the New York Knicks are working with a new head coach.
Add all of those things together, and things couldn’t be more wide open for Young and the Hawks—even without the defense everyone wants him to add to his game.