The Case for being extremely patient with Trae Young's development

[macd-gm]

The trade is a bit of a gamble.

But the trade is nowhere as bad as:

Denver Nuggets trading away the Donovan Mitchell pick for Trey Songz and Tyler Durden.

Or Nets trading a lottery pick (that ended up as Damian Lillard) for 3 months of Gerald Wallace.

Or Nets trading a plethora of lottery picks for the decaying corpses of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce.

Or Knicks gutting their team in a trade for Carmelo. (When they could have signed him in Free Agency a year later.)

Or Cleveland trading Julio Jones to the Falcons for a plethora of mediocre picks.

That's what i'm saying. There is almost no way that trade could be this level of worst. It'd be interesting to see what simmons thought of the Kyrie trade.

[ChokeFasncists]

Who knows? Maybe the Mavs pick next season turn out to be a guy like Mitchell or Lillard?

[steady]

https://nba.nbcsports.com/2018/10/03/trae-young-shows-why-rebuilding-hawks-could-be-fun-to-watch/

Nice article about Trae's good showing yesterday

I liked his amazing calm composure just like he had in college.

[Jamaaliver]

Biggest question facing each NBA team for 2018-19: Atlanta Hawks

What do they have in Trae Young?

The Hawks could very easily lose 65 games this season -- and yet, if Trae Young looks like a star in the making, general manager Travis Schlenk will be sporting the smile of a guy who just hit the Powerball. Schlenk went out on some kind of limb when he traded for Young on draft night. Schlenk told CBS Sports that throughout the evaluation process, the Hawks rated Doncic and Young as equals, making the 2019 first-round pick Dallas included in the deal the effective tiebreaker. That said, if Doncic lives up to his billing, and Young doesn't, that 2019 pick won't be much consolation.

But that's a worst-case scenario for Atlanta, and I wouldn't expect it to play out that way. Personally, I think Doncic and Young are both going to be somewhere between really good and great. Young looked terrific as he got more and more comfortable in summer league. He's going to chuck a lot of bad shots as he matures as a floor leader and learns to situationally suppress his gunner instincts -- "we're going to turn him loose," Schlenk told CBS Sports -- meaning you could easily look up at the end of the season and see a high-volume, 33- to 35-percent 3-point shooter with far too many turnovers and terrible defensive metrics.

[P]ay those numbers little mind. If Young is able to get to his spots against bigger defenders, if he's able to create his own shot on his own terms, if he shows a creative finishing instinct in the lane, if he validates Schlenk's belief that passing is in fact his best attribute, the raw numbers won't matter. The Hawks will know they have something special.

CBS Sports

[Jamaaliver]

There have been constant reminders from Pierce to Carter to general manager Travis Schlenk about taming expectations from zealous Hawks fans who think Young is going to be the next Curry immediately. The ups are going to be mountainous for him this season, just like Wednesday. But the lows are going to be valleys, like starting 1-of-11 from the floor in the team’s preseason opener.

Pierce hasn’t committed to naming Young the starting point guard when the team opens its season Wednesday against the New York Knicks, but after four games of preseason play, it’s clear that this is Young’s team, and that was evidenced when he replaced Lin in crunch time [Wednesday against the Spurs].

Pierce was adamant that Young already knows everything the Hawks want to do on offense. He just doesn’t know the nuances of every player yet. And Pierce is clear that Young is probably not going to know all of the nuances of his teammates until the end of the season.

“Once we get to game 60, and he’s probably playing Houston for the first time, it’s going to be a different situation,” Pierce said. “It’s going to be all brand new. He has to go through it. There are going to be some ups and downs. Playing (Chris Paul) is different than playing Steph (Curry). It’s different than switching on DeRozan. If you haven’t done it, then you have no idea. And right now, he has no idea of how to guard who we play next. We play Miami. He has no idea of how to guard Goran Dragic. Until we go through it, there’s always going to be a lesson and something for him to learn.”

The Athletic

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

Young, the No. 6 pick was traded to Atlanta on draft night for Luka Doncic. He had an up and down Summer League, averaging 17.0 points and 6.8 assists in just 25 minutes per game, but he also shot 38 percent from the floor. Preseason had been mostly more of the same — 16.0 points and 5.5 assists per game, but just 38.6 percent from the field and 33.3 percent on 3-pointers.

But Young finished off the Hawks’ fourth preseason game with the ol’ calmly-drill-a-game-winning-30-footer-from-the-logo-move.

The Stepback

[Jamaaliver]

What to Make of Best and Worst NBA Rookie Preseasons

There are takeaways from the best and worst NBA rookie performances of the 2018-19 preseason.

The challenge is determining what's legitimate or fluky, given the small sample size of games and deeper rotations.

We highlighted the strongest and most surprising performances, as well as the most disappointing, and pinpointed what each should mean moving forward.

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks PG



Stats through five preseason games: 15.0 PPG, 5.4 APG, 39.4 percent FG, 37.0 percent 3PT

Initial response: This is Trae Young

Young's preseason performance should paint an accurate picture of who he'll be.

There will be games in which he'll struggle to stay efficient as both a scorer and playmaker. And there will be others when his confidence is pumping, his three-ball is working and takeover mode is activated.

He'll have 5-of-16 shooting performances, as we saw against the New Orleans Pelicans, and three-turnover, two-assists contests like the one against the Oklahoma City Thunder. But the 22-point, seven-assist line with the game-winner against the San Antonio Spurs won't be his last either.

Young's style of play will lead to both off nights and games in which he catches fire and carries the Atlanta Hawks.

At this stage, the positives outweigh the negatives. It's just encouraging to see that his shot-making and passing are working against NBA defenses in spite of his physical and athletic limitations.

Either way, Young doesn't appear to have changed his approach. Trae will be Trae, meaning fans should expect wild shot selection and reckless decision-making to go his exciting brand of fearless, potent offense.

Bleacher Report

[Jamaaliver]

Young era begins for Hawks, who have a lot riding on him

Trae Young’s first NBA game is Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. He will start at point guard for the Hawks against the Knicks. It’s the first game of a long season for Young, but it’s also the beginning of an era.

Maybe no other rookie will be as scrutinized as much as Young. He was the most famous player in his draft after one hyped season at Oklahoma, and Schlenk’s draft-night trade to acquire him intensified the spotlight.

Young can’t know what he’s in for. He has an idea after playing five NBA exhibition games, but this will be different. Now it’s real games against grown men in the best basketball league in the world.

Opponents will single out Young for defensive attention and target him relentlessly with pick-and-rolls. He also will be targeted by detractors eager to declare him a bust. Young will have plenty of bad games, and the Hawks will lose a lot.

One of Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce’s task will be to prevent the weight of expectations from crushing Young.

“Our job as a team is to provide support to your teammate so he doesn’t feel the burden of every possession of every game,” Pierce said. “It’s not about him versus anyone else, or him versus the other team. It’s us versus them.”

That is what a coach should say. I’m sure Pierce will do what he can to protect Young from confidence-sapping criticism. There is no avoiding it, though. Young already knows.

Young’s poor shooting at the Utah Summer League became a national NBA story during the offseason news void. Young hadn’t played an NBA game, but some offered his summer struggles as proof that Schlenk erred in trading the rights to European prospect Luka Doncic for Young.

Young’s job is to filter out the noise and play basketball. I think that, in time, he will be a very good NBA player. He’s a gifted point guard with a superlative ability to read the floor and zip accurate passes.

There’s also a certain toughness to Young’s game that I like. He is slight of build, but stout in spirit. Young has some “dog” in him, as they say in the NBA.

Schlenk has done what he can to smooth Young’s path. He’s tried to reassure Young that he was the team’s top choice in the draft. Schlenk has asked fans to have patience with Young while emphasizing that he’s just one piece in a long-term puzzle.

It will be at least a couple of years before we know if Young can be an All-Star. Young’s journey begins Wednesday night in New York, in the famous building where he’s never played.

“I’ve always dreamed of playing in Madison Square,” Young said. “I’m looking forward to playing in it. I know it’s going to be a crazy environment.”

AJC

[Jamaaliver]

Trae Young’s NBA debut against Knicks anything but easy: ‘Humbling is the word’

The stage was set for Trae Young to have his “Hello, World” moment in the NBA, to light up the New York stage with long bombs and quick bursts to the basket that would quiet the faint but growing questions about a draft-night deal that will forever link him to the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic.

Instead the New York Knicks had other plans, unwilling to play nice in the debut of the Atlanta Hawks rookie who’s been compared to the likes of Stephen Curry and Steve Nash … or the next great bust.

No great declarations were made in the Knicks’ 126-107 season-opening thrashing of the rebuilding Hawks, and Young’s 14 points, six rebounds and five assist won’t do anything for either side of the debate on his professional prospects.



“I could’ve played a lot better,” Young told Yahoo Sports after the game. “Made a few turnovers that I wasn’t making in the preseason. That’s gonna happen. I’m gonna continue to grow.”

What used to be a playground for opposing stars was anything but on this night, as Young was harassed and smothered into a nondescript debut.

“Humbling is the word,” Hawks first-year head coach Lloyd Pierce told Yahoo Sports about Young’s performance. “Patience.”

Pierce has the temperament and demeanor to ride out Young’s highs and lows that are sure to come. The Hawks aren’t saddled with unfair expectations, and Young doesn’t play in a city that has such a strong basketball lineage that he won’t be able to breathe in his own ecosystem.

“This is great. It’s great,” Pierce said without a hint of sarcasm. “It’s really about when you’re young and used to success, you’re used to doing everything. … There’s a big-picture focus that we have.”

Trey Burke [moved] into the post against Young on multiple possessions. Burke hit a fadeaway the first time, and baited Young into a foul a few possessions later from the same spot on the floor, barking to anyone within earshot, “He can’t guard me.”

“You can’t have your head down. It’s just one game. You let your head hang after one game, you’re gonna lose a lot more,” Young told Yahoo Sports. “It’s something you have to learn from. We’ll bounce back.”

Yahoo Sports

[macd-gm]

Trey Burke [moved] into the post against Young on multiple possessions. Burke hit a fadeaway the first time, and baited Young into a foul a few possessions later from the same spot on the floor, barking to anyone within earshot, “He can’t guard me.”

Seriously? A lot of trash talk from middling vets beating up rookies in their first nba game. Trae actually played better D than i expected. If I'm a Knicks fan I'd be worried. Hawks fumbled this one up and Hardaway was dominant....for one quarter. Just like he's always been.

[ChokeFasncists]

33 mins in his first game. Is it cuz Lin needs to take it slowly? Or LP is throwing him in at the deep end and let him float or sink? He's preaching patience meanwhile.....

[bws94]

33 mins in his first game. Is it cuz Lin needs to take it slowly? Or LP is throwing him in at the deep end and let him float or sink? He's preaching patience meanwhile.....

Trae has fresh, young legs. Lin is recovering from a major injury and didn't play in a year. So Trae plays big minutes while Lin, hopefully gets ramped up. Then Trae doesn't have to play 33 minutes.

Trae was ok. Didn't shoot well but didn't really get totally rattled either. And at some point, he'll feel the intensity of the regular season and get used to knowing what to do when they send trapping defenses at him to test him.

[Jamaaliver]

Question for those that watched the entire game. (I have been unable to watch yet due to blackout rules here in OHIO.)

I've noticed that a tremendous amount of these shots look like they're coming when few other players get to touch the ball much during the play. Whether it's Trae going coast-to-coast or just taking his man off the dribble.

Is there a concern that Young Trae is over dribbling or shooting too much or not getting others involved enough?

Obviously he had double digit assists, but his usage rate has to be obscenely high. Is the rook getting his teammates involved enough or are they spending a tremendous amount of time just sitting around watching/waiting?

See below for examples:

Read on Twitter

[macd-gm]

Question for those that watched the entire game. (I have been unable to watch yet due to blackout rules here in OHIO.)

I've noticed that a tremendous amount of these shots look like they're coming when few other players get to touch the ball much during the play. Whether it's Trae going coast-to-coast or just taking his man off the dribble.

Is there a concern that Young Trae is over dribbling or shooting too much or not getting others involved enough?

Obviously he had double digit assists, but his usage rate has to be obscenely high. Is the rook getting his teammates involved enough or are they spending a tremendous amount of time just sitting around watching/waiting?

See below for examples:

Read on Twitter

Trae's FGA by quarter were 5-7-6-5. 2nd quarter he was 6-7 so he really heated up.

I didn't feel that way. Most of those clips were when he was being guarded by somebody he knew had no chance of guarding him. Honestly, if it wasn't for some stumbling, bumbling, and general bad shooting he could have had a ton more assists. I certainly didn't feel like he was dribbling too much. There were definitely times he took bad shots, but it's hard to knock much of anything about this performance though.

[steady]

If he has more games like this, he is going to make it very difficult to preach patience with him.

Seeing how good he is at running an offense; and making smart and really good passes. It is not just his vision, but the actual accuracy and velocity of his passes. I find it hard to understand people still not seeing his potential. Especially when we know the shooting will come, and has already started to.

[Jamaaliver]

If he has more games like this, he is going to make it very difficult to preach patience with him.

Seeing how good he is at running an offense; and making smart and really good passes. It is not just his vision, but the actual accuracy and velocity of his passes. I find it hard to understand people still not seeing his potential. Especially when we know the shooting will come, and has already started to.

No doubt.

The kid is a bball prodigy. I'm trying not to get too high too soone Cause there will be some down days, too. Some rough patches.

But his passing/ball handling make him special. If we can just secure another top-5 selection next summer...we have a chance to really build something special here.

[ChokeFasncists]

If he has more games like this, he is going to make it very difficult to preach patience with him.

Seeing how good he is at running an offense; and making smart and really good passes. It is not just his vision, but the actual accuracy and velocity of his passes. I find it hard to understand people still not seeing his potential. Especially when we know the shooting will come, and has already started to.

A pleasure and a privilege!

Hope Lin gets his rust off quickly, 38 mins, Trey's gonna hit the rookie wall real soon.

People say he's a boom or bust type, looks like no bust!

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

This message should sink in over the course of the season, but that mental shift is difficult for a young point guard coming off a collegiate campaign in which he meant everything to his school. If Young wasn't creating buckets for himself and others, Oklahoma wasn't going to be competitive.

The NBA is a different beast.

Bleacher Report

[ChokeFasncists]

Applies to Lin as well. Looks like maybe LP is getting him to do this.

[Jamaaliver]

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