Speaking on “the OGs” podcast, former league veteran Quentin Richardson asked why Hawks star Trae Young has fallen out of favor with the NBA fans. Seeming genuinely confused, Q-Rich insisted that Young is still one of the players in the league right now, with good numbers to back it up.
“I feel like Trae Young get disrespected,” said Richardson. “Why Y’all think they don’t f*ck with Trae Young no more? He’s second in the league in assists. He’s got good statistics but I feel like they don’t f*ck with him no more…”
When considering about the greatest point guards in the league, Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are usually the first names that come to mind. But according to Richardson, Trae Young should also be a part of that conversation. Statistically, with averages of 27.0 points, 10.8 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, there is no doubt that Trae is an All-Star-level player. But when it comes to culture-setting and overall impact on winning, history says that Young has room to grow in these areas and it’s one of the major blemishes of his game.
NBA Fans Debate On Trae Young
As the offensive engine of the Hawks, they need Trae Young’s production to have any chance of keeping up with the competition. So far, he’s had no problem producing for them as both a scorer and playmaker (career-high 10.8 assists). Unfortunately, he’s as one-sided of a player as they come and he has a reputation for being a liability defensively.
Yall are only looking at his stats 💀 theres a reason why the media doesn’t rock with trae bro
— Shemar🙋🏾♂️❕❕ (@ShemarXayWarren) January 29, 2024
Of course, fans were also quick to point out his flimsy postseason record, which includes a single run to the Eastern Conference Finals. Trae and the Hawks haven’t been close to relevant since, and it could be why his clout has faded over time.
https://twitter.com/JM12Burner/status/1751789858354545106
Trae Young also has a massive turnover problem and while you might expect that from a heavy-usage player, his efficiency isn’t the greatest either with below-average splits across the board.
Because he’s a turnover machine that can’t play defense? Yeah he’s a good playmaker and has a solid offensive game but is it worth the trade-off for turnovers and trash defense?
— SportSociety (@SportSocietyUSA) January 29, 2024
Of course, no matter what the haters say, Young is still one of the best offensive guards in basketball, and what he does for his team on a game-to-game basis deserves to be celebrated for the massive achievement that it is. But now, if Young really wants to regain the respect of the league, he’ll have to come through for them when it counts the most.
What’s Next For The Hawks?
The best way for Trae to get his name buzzing again is by a repeat of the 2021 NBA playoffs. That year, Trae led the Hawk to a massive upset over the 76ers and Knicks to advance to the East Finals. Young was on fire the whole way there, lighting Madison Square Garden in a scene that went viral on social media. They lost to the Bucks in the third round, and that was the end of their run. Since that moment, the Hawks have been a .500 team, completely mired in mediocrity from top to bottom. Not even acquiring Dejounte Murray from the Spurs was enough to pull them out of the rut.
This season, it’s no coincidence that the Hawks have been involved in several trade rumors, and they’ve already shaken some things up recently with the John Collins deal. Unless a turnaround happens here soon, we can probably expect more roster changes soon as the team looks for a way to reset around their star and build toward the future.
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