The Atlanta Hawks are making Trae Young prove he is worth a max contract this season, and he’s made a good case to be paid through four games after returning from injury.
Young is a tricky player for new GM Onsi Saleh and the front office to evaluate, as his box score and advanced statistical outputs do not justify a four-year, $229 million max deal. On the other hand, he has had very little help on either end of the floor throughout his career. This uncertainty led Saleh to delay deciding until they could see Young alongside this year’s team – which had major upgrades.
With a fully-developed guard core and a legitimate co-star, Young has the tools required to elevate himself and the team to a level never seen before. Just as he had his chance, however, Young went down with a knee injury that sidelined him for nearly six weeks and 22 games.
Young made a statement after returning from injury
Young returned to action in a December 18th matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, where he dropped 8 points and 10 assists in 20 minutes of action, shooting a perfect 3/3 from two point range and 0/5 from three. It was a poor outside shooting performance, but Young was moving the ball and looked like the perfect star for this iteration of the Hawks. Fans could see that, after Young regains his rhythm from outside, he could be a legitimate superstar.
Young has fully shaken off the rust in the three games he’s played in since his return – he’s averaging 29 points, 10 assists, and a steal while shooting 54.2% from deep in 28.9 minutes. While the team is 0-4 in this stretch, Young is not to blame.
Atlanta’s center rotation imploded right before the Oklahoma product returned from injury. Kristaps Porzingis has missed 11 of the last 12 games, and third-stringer N’Faly Dante tore his ACL in the G League Winter Showcase. With only Onyeka Okongwu at the five, the Hawks have no way to defend the interior or rebound reliably.
Despite the team’s woes, this is the type of performance Saleh needed from Young to feel confident giving him an extension. We all know who Young is at this point in his career; he can’t defend, but he can beat anyone off the dribble and is one of the league’s best passers. If he can shoot the three at an above-average rate, he will be a star. If not, he will again find himself blamed for a mediocre team performance. So far, he's shooting the lights out.