Quin Snyder cuts presser short following message on Trae Young after Hawks' loss

Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder said a lot about Trae Young and not much else following his team’s fourth consecutive loss.

The Hawks were undermanned and overpowered versus old friend Kevin Huerter and the Sacramento Kings. After the 123-115 defeat – in which the Hawks cut the deficit from as many as 18 points to a tie twice down the stretch – Snyder spoke.

Snyder answered just one question. It was about the team's resilience. His answer was about Young.

“We played with courage. We were down, I think, 18 on two separate occasions, and we just competed. It's our best fourth quarter – defensively – of the year. That's something we talked about. We didn't have that competitive endurance,” Snyder told reporters on November 1. 

“Everybody should get their pens out and start writing about Trae Young. Because he was poised with the officials, from the very beginning of the game he got blitzed. He trusted his teammates, he wasn't selfish, he got off the ball early to shooters, then he started hitting Clint [Capela] in the roll. He managed the game, took a charge with six minutes left in the game. 

“If anybody doesn't look at his performance tonight and respect the mental toughness that he has to play with right now when everything is going through him with admiration for his competitiveness and the trust he has in his teammates – The guy was unbelievable. It was unbelievable. And not diminishing other guys' efforts,  but that was a hell of a performance and we shouldn't lose track of that because we lost the game.”

Young finished the game with 25 points, 12 assists, and 5 rebounds. He was inefficient, shooting 38.1% from the floor and going 3-for-9 from beyond the arc.

He also committed 5 turnovers. Young’s counting stats are why Snyder’s message is notable.

A glance at the box score would show numbers that fit the prevailing narrative around Young; that he can put up offensive numbers but is not a winning player. As Snyder illustrated, Young did many of the things that are conducive to a winning effort versus Sacramento, even amid questionable officiating.

Many of those things will not show up on a stat sheet and, thus, will likely get lost in the discussion around the three-time All-Star in favor of the prevailing narrative.

Struggles will intensify trade chatter around Trae Young, Hawks

Snyder’s comments are notable for another, less encouraging reason. Young was already the subject of trade chatter this past offseason.

The Hawks’ slump will only amplify the noise that had died down to start the regular season. But between the injuries and Young’s impending contract situation, the clock is ticking on this iteration of the Hawks already.

If that is where things end up – and neither side has said that, to be clear – Snyder’s take helps.

Snyder is an accomplished coach and is well-respected around the NBA. His opinion could help push another front office over the top if they are on the fence about making an offer for Young.

Those teams likely also recognize not only the current state the Hawks find themselves in due to injuries, but also the one they put themselves in by building the heliocentric roster with Young as the lone star.

It is early still, so much can still change about this season.

But the Hawks have already given us plenty of reason for concern and fuel for speculation just five games in.