Hawks' Trae Young gives honest take on Wizards' Alex Sarr, 2024 NBA Draft class

Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young sat down with Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George to discuss a variety of topics.

Among them, Young rehashed his disappointment that his pairing with Dejounte Murray did not work out, especially after his initial excitement over the trade to bring him in from the San Antonio Spurs. Young was sure to note that the two still have a strong bond off the court.

He also addressed rookie No. 1 overall pick Zaccarie Risacher.

Young cleared up that he contacted Risacher immediately after the draft, but it was his broader view on the class in general that stood out.

“I mean to be honest with you, and no disrespect to the guys that got drafted, from the outlook looking in – and some guys may surprise us – but a lot of us look at them as role players coming in anyway,” Young said on the “Podcast P” episode that aired on August 12. 

“The last three No. 1 picks, you got Victor [Wembanyama], you got like Ant [Anthony] Edwards, you got some big-time names. None of these guys – whether it's Reed [Sheppard], who's going to be a hell of an NBA player, or Alex [Sarr], who didn't play well in summer league, but who's going to be a hell of NBA player – but a lot of these guys could be just role players.

“I feel like the GMs all this year are probably just trying to figure out who's going to be the best role player for whatever team. It's not like they're drafting somebody to be a – as good as Alex Sarr is, I don't think he's gonna be their franchise player going forward, you know what I'm saying? He's going to be a great, great player. Has a long NBA career. But just outlook on any of these guys coming in, it wasn't like they were going to be Luka [Doncic]s or … Zions.”

Hawks' Trae Young echoes pre-draft sentiments about 2024 rookie class

Young’s take, while brutally candid, is not far from the pre-draft chatter around the class.

There were even some sentiments that landing the No. 1 pick was undesirable due to the lack of a clear-cut top choice.

The Hawks’ decision was unclear just days before the draft, though general manager Landry Fields said they identified Risacher as their target relatively early on and that the rest of the process was spent confirming their position.

Sarr and Sheppard and Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan were rumored targets.

The final verdict on the class will not be in for another several seasons, though some stars could emerge long before then.

Still, Young’s take speaks volumes about the overall view of the class, including new teammate Risacher, who figures to unlock some interesting lineup combinations for head coach Quin Snyder in 2024-25.