The Atlanta Hawks are at a crossroads with Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
The All-Star point guards can be pieces to a championship team but not together. The fit with two-ball dominant guards was always going to be wonky, and we may have underestimated just how bad it would be.
Now, the Hawks are heading into treacherous waters with relatively inexperienced captains on this ship. The front office is led by a first-time GM in Landry Fields and a first-time executive of any kind in Kyle Korver.
Atlanta has a few options. They could trade Murray and build around Young, or vice versa. They could trade both and commit to a total rebuild, or they could decide to run it back with the two stars.
Most believe they’ll trade one of Murray or Young, with the former being the most common choice among fans. However, the Hawks may not have a choice in the matter because it seems that Trae Young’s patience is wearing thin with the organization.
When asked to clarify his comments about wanting to be in Atlanta but also wanting to win, Young didn’t exactly quiet the noise.
Trae Young was asked about his exit interview quote on staying in ATL:
Safe to say the pressure is on pic.twitter.com/9yktFScOJ3
— Kel’el Ware to ATL (@1CE_TRAE) April 30, 2024
I don’t blame Trae Young. The Hawks have failed him to this point in his career.
Entering his prime, he should absolutely be prioritizing winning if that’s what is most important to him. Atlanta is clearly running out of time with their superstar.
I don’t think fans should even consider Young playing out his current deal that runs through the 2027 season. There’s a legitimate possibility that Young will force his way out of Atlanta if the front office doesn’t get it right this Summer.
There’s no scenario where the Hawks can hit the reset button with Trae Young still on the roster. It would be a slap in the face. The only answer is to trade both of their All-Stars and completely rebuild or try again to build a championship-caliber roster around Young.
There is a very narrow window to success, and I’m not confident the right men are leading the charge in Atlanta.
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Photographer: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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