Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young has been making headlines lately as he navigates the highs and lows of NBA stardom. According to The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/03/sports/basketball/trae-young-jaylen-brown-nba.html), Trae, alongside Boston Celtics player Jaylen Brown and Brooklyn Nets player Mikal Bridges, is “learning to handle the praise and the pressure of rising” as a young player in the league.
Despite the Hawks’ elimination from the playoffs in a Game 6 loss to the Celtics, Trae remains optimistic about the team’s future, saying they will win an NBA championship and that head coach Quin Snyder is the future (Bleacher Report: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10026086-trae-young-says-hawks-will-win-an-nba-championship-hc-quin-snyder-is-the-future).
The Athletic’s Jeff Schultz (https://theathletic.com/3174813/2022/05/09/schultz-hawks-ending-feels-like-progress-because-trae-young-is-sold-on-quin-snyder/) also notes that Trae’s endorsement of Snyder implies “something significant happened over these past few weeks, something maybe more important than Atlanta winning a few more games.”
In his end-of-season press conference, Trae made some revealing remarks regarding his future with the Atlanta Hawks, per Atlanta Hawks (https://www.nba.com/hawks/news/trae-young-sends-revealing-message-future-atlanta-hawks) announcing that he was committed to the team and excited for the future. He further declared that there’s nowhere to go but up as he looks forward to his sixth season in the NBA, according to ClutchPoints (https://clutchpoints.com/hawks-trae-youngs-heartfelt-message-after-season-ending-celtics-loss/).
Some have speculated that Trae may be on the move soon, with the Knicks being a possible destination, but Daily Knicks (https://dailyknicks.com/2023/05/09/knicks-must-avoid-trae-young-trade/) opined that the Knicks should avoid a Trae Young trade at all costs.
It’s safe to say, though, that Trae Young will remain a player to watch in the NBA as he continues to grow and lead the Atlanta Hawks. As Bradley’s Buzz in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution noted (https://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-hawks/bradleys-buzz-the-hawks-are-about-to-change-will-trae-young-change-too/ZK7TSAWLLNCWDOT7VQBJKJSFEU/), Trae has been integral to the Hawks’ success, and it remains to be seen how the team and the young star will adapt and evolve in the seasons to come.
