Atlanta Hawks fans remember fondly the days when Trae Young was out of the lineup and Dejounte Murray was operating in his place, putting up numbers and getting the team around him to perform at a high level. Well, Nickeil Alexander-Walker is currently doing more of the same, and the Hawks can't afford to let this situation end up like the previous one.
Much has been made of Atlanta's strong performance without Young in the lineup. A lot of the conversation has revolved around the possibility of trading him and how wise that might be. But we can't forget to analyze the other half of this equation. Why have the Hawks been winning without their star point guard? Alexander-Walker has been one of the main catalysts.
Nickeil was brought in by this front office due to the progression he made during his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves. When he first arrived with the Wolves, NAW was frankly playing for his career. He hadn't had a very strong showing with the Utah Jazz in the previous year, and it seemed like he was in a "prove it" year in Minnesota.
Well, over the course of the next two-plus seasons, he did more than prove it. He turned himself into one of the most valuable perimeter defenders and three-and-D guys in the league. Nickeil's development began as a small-scale story that only circulated in the circles of Timberwolves fans, but his rise soon became a national narrative that no one could ignore.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker is emerging as a true cornerstone
That's why his acquisition in Atlanta was such a big deal to begin with. Now, his continued leap has been among the most positive developments imaginable for this team. Alexander-Walker has been exhibiting an offensive breakout that's proving to be less of a simple hot streak and more of legitimate proof that he can carry some of the Hawks' scoring load when needed.
NAW's on-off numbers have been evidence that Atlanta performs far better as a team when he is on the floor, and that's far from surprising if you watch his contributions at both ends of the floor on a nightly basis. Now, what the Hawks need to do is avoid making the same mistake they made with Dejounte Murray in trading him.
Murray was putting up a career-best 22.5 points per night in Atlanta during the 2023-24 season before being dealt away. The sentiment at the time was that he and Trae Young weren't the most ideal fit next to each other, but he was still a floor-raiser when Young was unable to play.
It's clear to see that Nickeil Alexander-Walker is making his own leap with increased volume today. The worst thing the Hawks could decide to do would be trading him away. Continue to build around NAW and the other stars of this team, and make your Trae Young decision independently from those guys.