On Thursday, former NBA big man DeMarcus Cousins added himself to the growing list of people who want to see Trae Young in a better situation. According to Boogie, the Hawks have “wasted” Trae’s talent, and he’s better off trying his luck somewhere else.
“I hope this is the last time we see him in a Hawks uniform,” said Cousins in a chat with Rachel Nichols. “I feel like his talent is being wasted, his prime is being wasted. Get healthy, get yourself 100% correct. Whether that’s in Atlanta or, you know, fingers crossed, the San Antonio Spurs…”
Cousins knows all too well what it’s like to waste your prime years on a mediocre team. With the Kings, he barely sniffed the post-season despite being a multiple-time All-Star and didn’t achieve anything of note over his seven years with the franchise.
For Trae, it’s a similar situation in Atlanta. He came to the Hawks as part of a draft-day trade back in 2018 but it’s been difficult for him to achieve the kind of success he expected. Now, Young himself has been mixed up in all kinds of trade rumors as the Hawks consider the possibility of “blowing up” their roster.
Cousins, and many other fans, have the San Antonio Spurs at the top of their wish list for Young. As good as Dejounte Murray has been this season, Victor Wmebanyama would unlock a whole new world for Trae and it would be interesting to see what he could do with it. Another potential suitor for Trae could be the Los Angeles Lakers, who have long been looking to add a high-profile point guard in the backcourt.
As a 3x All-Star who is averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game this season, half the teams in the league will be after Trae if he’s made available and we already know the movement is strong for him to switch jerseys. The only question now is when/if the Hawks will decide to let go of their longtime point guard.
The Atlanta Hawks Are Ready For A Shakeup
The Hawks have been the kings of mediocrity in the Trae Young era. Over their last 1,200 games, the Hawks have a record of 595-605 — almost dead even. Since 2018, the Hawks have only ranked higher than 7th in the East one time, which is the only time they’ve advanced past the first round of the playoffs.
When the Hawks fired Nate McMillan and replaced him with the well-regarded Quin Snyder, they were sure it would be enough to make a difference in their performance. So far, not even Snyder has been able to make it work and there’s really nowhere else to turn but the trade market.
With the Hawks expected to choose between Trae and his backcourt teammate Dejounte Murray this summer, it seems the franchise has reached its breaking point. As the Lakers, Spurs, and other teams get involved in the sweepstakes, it will be a busy and crucial offseason for the Hawks and for Trae himself, who may be the final piece of a championship team.
But with the way that Trae is playing right now, he deserves to be in a place where he can compete for more than just a play-in berth. The Hawks clearly don’t have the right pieces at the moment and only they have the power to break the cycle that has gripped them for years.
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