The Athletic compiled a list of the 30 most reliable players in the league, with Trae Young finishing 17th. The rankings were equal to the product of a simple way of measuring a player’s All-Star and All-NBA accolades with their average games played over the last three seasons.
While Young isn’t the most reliable in his night-to-night output as an undersized guard who leans heavily on his jumpshot, he is inarguably one of the most durable stars in the league. Young has missed double-digit games just once in his career when he tore a ligament in his hand during the 2023-24 season.
This strength is particularly important for a team heavily reliant on Jalen Johnson and Kristaps Porzingis, both of whom carry concerning injury histories. Young is perhaps the most injury-resistant star on The Athletic's list, but his lack of recent All-NBA appearances capped his ranking in the metric.
Young’s dependable health enabled Atlanta’s roster to remain intact
Amidst the chaos of the NBA and disappointment of Atlanta’s season opener, it is easy to forget that the team has defied even the most optimistic expectations. To recover from the gloominess of the Dejounte Murray era in just one calendar year is a miraculous feat that cannot be overstated.
While Onsi Saleh and the Hawks’ front office deserve the bulk of the credit for this turnaround, Young is the reason they were able to maintain hope.
Sure, Atlanta has underperformed relative to expectations in seasons past, failing to advance past the Play-In tournament in three consecutive seasons. Still, these Play-In appearances were important. Had Young succumbed to a season-ending injury over the past few seasons, the Hawks’ track record would no longer justify the swing-for-the-fences mentality the front office has employed.
Imagine a scenario where, instead of three consecutive Play-In appearances, the Hawks had one appearance and two years lost to injuries from Young. No longer does it make sense to trade for Kristaps Porzingis, nor to dump De’Andre Hunter’s salary, nor to sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
While it may feel like the bare minimum to applaud a star for their ability to stay on the floor, Young’s durability has been arguably the most important enabling factor in Atlanta’s resurgence this year. With no concerning or recurring injuries to his name, there is no reason to believe Young’s incredible durability will decline anytime soon.
Young, like every star, is a flawed player. As San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle said best, however, “Your best ability is availability, and if you're not on the field, they can't use you and you don't play.” Fortunately for Atlanta, Young's availability truly is his best ability.