Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young sets lofty goal for 2024-25 season

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young set a new career high averaging 10.8 assists last season.

He added 25.7 points per game while shooting 37.3% from deep. However, he did so appearing in just 54 games. 

Coming off a season interrupted by injuries, Young is already eyeing his next feat and a new career best. In response to a post highlighting his year-over-year trend of setting a new high, Young set the bar.

“What you think..? At least 11,” Young posted on X on May 30. “God Willing More!”

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton led the league averaging 10.9 assists last season. The last player to average at least 11.0 assists was Russell Westbrook in 2020-21, who averaged 11.7 while with the Washington Wizards. 

It had been four years since James Harden (11.2) did it with the Houston Rockets before that.

It is also plausible for Young to get there if he can stay healthy next season. He averaged 11.0 assists across 44 appearances from November 11 until February 23.

He missed the next 23 games and averaged 10.0 assists in three games after returning. That number got up to 11.2 per game, and with the possibility the backcourt gets retooled this offseason, he could easily achieve that mark next season. 

No Hawks player has ever averaged 11.0 assists per game for an entire season.

It would be another feather in the cap for Young, who led the league in total points and assists in 2021-22 and took the total assists crown again in 2022-23.

The three-time All-Star might want to set the next bar for himself. But he has spoken all offseason about wanting to win at the highest level. He is certainly going to enjoy watching Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving attempt to complete his redemption story.

Hawks’ Trae Young getting popcorn ready for Celtics-Mavericks Finals

Young commented earlier in the postseason that Irving may the “perfect” fit alongside Mavs star Luka Doncic. Irving spent two seasons in Boston and was not upset to move on, setting up one of the many storylines that immediately emerged once the matchup was set.

Young is anticipating the matchup.

Irving is on his second franchise since that time and has gone through plenty of controversy. But the vitriol of that time is a reminder of the different Irving that is returning to the Finals.

The Hawks face a potentially pivotal offseason that already has plenty of drama after they landed the No. 1 overall pick. Dallas’ trade for Irving ahead of the 2023 deadline did not pay off until this season and only after the Mavericks made the proper ancillary moves around it.

That should be as instructional to the Hawks as anything else they can glean.