Trae Young has been the beating heart of the Hawks for seven years and counting, but this offseason has been inundated with more doubt than ever before regarding his future with Atlanta.
More often than not, success leads to a stable future in the NBA. Unfortunately for Atlanta, their season-to-season inconsistency in the Trae Young era has garnered anything but such stability - at least according to critics suggesting Young may be on the move sooner rather than later.
In a recent presser, GM Onsi Saleh gave some much-needed clarification on the ongoing relationship he has with his team's superstar.
It's a very well-known fact that organizations that remain in communication with their franchise centerpieces are much more likely to retain such stars than those that lack such dialogue. Examples include Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Garnett, who was denied help time and again from his front office, ultimately leading to his departure.
Another headliner example was LeBron James' first stint in Cleveland - after years of falling short of a championship surrounded by little help, he finally decided to move on to an organization that promised to remain in better communication and provide stronger support than the Cavs.
With such a strong historical precedent no doubt in the forefront of his mind, Onsi Saleh took the most recent presser as an opportunity to silence any doubters regarding Young's long-term future with Atlanta.
Onsi Saleh and Trae Young have been talking all offseason long.
When asked about all the recent moves Atlanta has made over the summer, Onsi Saleh's first response was to state how involved Young has been at every turn.
"Trae was a big part of that. We talked to Trae about that call on hey, what do you think about these guys? What's your thought process there?"
Saleh's continuous involvement of Young in franchise-altering moves is an incredibly strong sign for the Hawks' success moving forward. While many GMs choose to blindside their players with critical decisions (looking at you, Nico Harrison), Saleh has established himself as a GM deeply involved with the sentiments of his players.
Saleh doubled down on Young's involvement with the front office, stating: "He's also great in recruiting [Kristaps Porzingis, Asa Newell, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard] too. Unbelievable just to have a player that's able to do that."
The significant involvement of Trae Young on such decisions points to one simple conclusion: Onsi Saleh is committed to building around Young and keeping him happy here in Atlanta.
Onsi Saleh's praise of Young both on and off the court is a beautiful sign of things to come in Atlanta. As long as the two remain on the same page, there is little to no doubt that Young's future with the organization is in very capable hands - an extension is almost certain to be on the way soon.