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Trae Young, Hawks

Rookie Report: Young’s uneven year ended in satisfying fashion as he closed the season with 24.0 points and 9.3 assists per game in his last 20 contests. Young didn’t appear overwhelmed by NBA length in his first season, earning cleaner looks than his 32.4% mark from three would suggest. His efficiency should see an uptick in year two.

Young entered his rookie year as a dead-eye shooter, but he exited the season as one of the league’s most inventive passers. Young is wise beyond his years as a pick-and-roll ball handler. He probes with the patience of Mike Conley, then rifles the ball the second he catches a defense leaning. Young can skip the ball to any corner of the court, even with his off hand. His feathery touch on lobs is pristine–elegant teardrops fall into the arms of John Collins and Alex Len. Young was a gunner by necessity at Oklahoma. He was a brilliant rookie maestro in Atlanta.

The Next Step: Let’s see Young truly make teams pay from beyond the arc. His playmaking is elite for his age, and he’ll frankly be a defensive sieve for the rest of his career. Young will need to emulate Damian Lillard and Steph Curry for Atlanta to make a leap in the next decade. Simple flashes of the Western Conference superstars will suffice in year two.

Inside Trae Young’s progression this summer with insight from his trainers



The biggest difference Roland has noticed this offseason with Young is his maturation. He knows how to carry himself as a professional and knows how to stay in better shape, but more importantly, his priorities are in line.

Alex Bazzell, Young’s personal on-court trainer, has seen him the most this offseason outside of Atlanta. As with Roland, Young’s maturation is the noticeable change Bazzell has seen, plus Bazzell said Young has gained 12 to 16 pounds this offseason. Just based on the eye test, Young’s muscle mass certainly has improved from where he was at the end of the season.

The plan is for Young, after he’s finished with his Team USA training camp obligations at the start of August, to travel to Newport Beach, Calif., before he has to report back to Atlanta on Aug. 19 and work on his midrange game with Kobe Bryant.

But the biggest improvement Young needs to make has to come on the defensive end. Young adding more than 10 pounds to his frame will help, and having a year of experience will, too, because Young enjoys watching as much film as he possibly can. Roland believes there’s a chance Young can turn into a respectable defender.

“Over time, if you watch film and pay close attention to details, you start to pick up habits and tendencies of these players...there's no reason why he couldn’t be one of the better defensive guards at his spot,” Roland said.

“He’s never going to be a Kawhi Leonard-type of defender, but he realizes that that is one of his weaknesses, and I think that is a positive,” Young’s father, Ray, said.

This summer, Ray has noticed his son has that look and feeling about himself that he knows he belongs in this league; he has taken on more responsibility from a leadership standpoint. He asked the coaches to give him the numbers of the team’s free-agent additions so he could be the first to welcome them.

Roland, James Harden’s personal trainer, sees Young becoming an All-Star soon, and he sees him turning into one of the best point guards in the league in a few years.

Jamaaliver wrote:

Inside Trae Young’s progression this summer with insight from his trainers



The biggest difference Roland has noticed this offseason with Young is his maturation. He knows how to carry himself as a professional and knows how to stay in better shape, but more importantly, his priorities are in line.

Alex Bazzell, Young’s personal on-court trainer, has seen him the most this offseason outside of Atlanta. As with Roland, Young’s maturation is the noticeable change Bazzell has seen, plus Bazzell said Young has gained 12 to 16 pounds this offseason. Just based on the eye test, Young’s muscle mass certainly has improved from where he was at the end of the season.

The plan is for Young, after he’s finished with his Team USA training camp obligations at the start of August, to travel to Newport Beach, Calif., before he has to report back to Atlanta on Aug. 19 and work on his midrange game with Kobe Bryant.

But the biggest improvement Young needs to make has to come on the defensive end. Young adding more than 10 pounds to his frame will help, and having a year of experience will, too, because Young enjoys watching as much film as he possibly can. Roland believes there’s a chance Young can turn into a respectable defender.

“Over time, if you watch film and pay close attention to details, you start to pick up habits and tendencies of these players...there's no reason why he couldn’t be one of the better defensive guards at his spot,” Roland said.

“He’s never going to be a Kawhi Leonard-type of defender, but he realizes that that is one of his weaknesses, and I think that is a positive,” Young’s father, Ray, said.

This summer, Ray has noticed his son has that look and feeling about himself that he knows he belongs in this league; he has taken on more responsibility from a leadership standpoint. He asked the coaches to give him the numbers of the team’s free-agent additions so he could be the first to welcome them.

Roland, James Harden’s personal trainer, sees Young becoming an All-Star soon, and he sees him turning into one of the best point guards in the league in a few years.

The Athletic

• Trae has noticeably put on weight.
• He's willingly taking on a role as team leader.
• He is aware of his defensive deficiencies.
• His father has stepped away from being his primary trainer.
• He's working with Kobe...on mid range shooting?!?

kg01 wrote:Dang, do I sound like stu?

Jamaaliver wrote:

kg01 wrote:Dang, do I sound like stu?

kg01 wrote:

Jamaaliver wrote:

kg01 wrote:Dang, do I sound like stu?

Just know that this hurts. So ... mission accomplished?

Trae Young is ready to lift the Hawks — and his stardom — to the next level



Trae Young was one of the shortest, lightest and youngest players invited to USA Basketball’s training camp, but that hardly discouraged him from trying to steal the show.

When media members were let into the gym to view portions of a practice scrimmage Tuesday, the Atlanta Hawks point guard was directing traffic for his team of understudies. Young probed with crossover dribbles, found shooters with soft-touch passes and glided around high screens while feeling for driving angles. On the final possession, Young broke free to the corner, accepted an inbounds pass and coolly swished a curling fadeaway jumper to end the contest.

Young's participation with the program’s “Select Team” of rising stars is part of a comprehensive offseason regimen aimed at improving his strength, rounding out his game and preparing him to handle greater leadership responsibilities. Young was wary of “setting a bar” for himself or the Hawks, but he eagerly embraces heightened expectations.

“I think there’s a big opportunity for us,” Young said. “We can go as far as we want to go. I definitely believe we can [compete for a playoff spot]. Depending on how the season goes, anything can happen [with all-star selections], God willing. Once we start winning, all the other accolades, individual awards and all-star, all that stuff will be taken care of.”

Atlanta’s impressive handling of Young has set the stage for such lofty talk. His rare gift for understanding spacing and setting up his teammates was evident early, and his quick-trigger three-point shooting improved as the season unfolded.

Young averaged 24.7 points and 9.2 assists in 23 games after the all-star break, production that suggested a second-year breakthrough could be coming. Pierce’s summer prescription for his budding star included everything from dietary recommendations to mental development.

As a result, Young has added 10 pounds to his skinny frame while cutting out fried foods and eating more greens. With added strength, he hopes to more effectively handle contact as a ballhandler and to present a more physical defensive presence.

Atlanta’s coaching staff is also scheming ways to diversify Young’s offensive game. Pierce envisions deploying Young in more off-ball situations, much like the Golden State Warriors utilize Stephen Curry. By mixing it up, the Hawks hope to protect Young from double teams and traps, and to help generate cleaner shots.

“Trae is so creative and dynamic with the ball in his hands, but I want him to be a dual threat,” Pierce said.

Jamaaliver wrote:I can't wait to see how year 2 plays out for both players:

Watch on YouTube

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kg01 wrote:

Jamaaliver wrote:I can't wait to see how year 2 plays out for both players:

Watch on YouTube

Read on Twitter

That looks like a real easy way for Lu to hurt his legs. Why would any trainer think that setup is a good idea?

kg01 wrote:

Jamaaliver wrote:I can't wait to see how year 2 plays out for both players:

Watch on YouTube

Read on Twitter

That looks like a real easy way for Lu to hurt his legs. Why would any trainer think that setup is a good idea?

Trae Young will probably always be a high-variance offensive player. He still didn't make even a third of his threes on six attempts per game last season; that percentage has to creep up to at least 35-36 for Young to really bend defenses the way he needs.

A reminder that second-year improvements are not a given. Ben Simmons didn't find a jumper, Jayson Tatum didn't blossom into a star, and Donovan Mitchell was somewhat inconsistent. If anything, all three of those guys plateaued in their second NBA season.

Watching Young and Doncic head-to-head will be a fun exercise in where they stand as sophomores.

Spud2nique wrote:

kg01 wrote:

Jamaaliver wrote:I can't wait to see how year 2 plays out for both players:

Watch on YouTube

Read on Twitter

That looks like a real easy way for Lu to hurt his legs. Why would any trainer think that setup is a good idea?

I’m sorry when I see Luka with weights SAVAGE INTENSITY BEAST don’t come to mind but rather..

Benetton...GAP, pink weights.. soth (lol) puppies kittens ..paper mache.

kg01 wrote:

Spud2nique wrote:

kg01 wrote:
That looks like a real easy way for Lu to hurt his legs. Why would any trainer think that setup is a good idea?

I’m sorry when I see Luka with weights SAVAGE INTENSITY BEAST don’t come to mind but rather..

Benetton...GAP, pink weights.. soth (lol) puppies kittens ..paper mache.

Haha, definitely not BEASTMODE there. More like, "Mum, take the picture before this thing breaks my arm. Pass me a towel, please. Sweat is soooo icky."

Definitely shades of soth on a smartphone.

And don't get all whiny, Mavs guys. I think the same about Trae and his adolescent muscles (pronounced 'mus-kals').

Spud2nique wrote:

kg01 wrote:

Spud2nique wrote:
I’m sorry when I see Luka with weights SAVAGE INTENSITY BEAST don’t come to mind but rather..

Benetton...GAP, pink weights.. soth (lol) puppies kittens ..paper mache.

Haha, definitely not BEASTMODE there. More like, "Mum, take the picture before this thing breaks my arm. Pass me a towel, please. Sweat is soooo icky."

Definitely shades of soth on a smartphone.

And don't get all whiny, Mavs guys. I think the same about Trae and his adolescent muscles (pronounced 'mus-kals').

I feel like the Haribo theme song is coming and Trae and L**** are eating gummies while lifting.

kg01 wrote:

Spud2nique wrote:

kg01 wrote:
Haha, definitely not BEASTMODE there. More like, "Mum, take the picture before this thing breaks my arm. Pass me a towel, please. Sweat is soooo icky."

Definitely shades of soth on a smartphone.

And don't get all whiny, Mavs guys. I think the same about Trae and his adolescent muscles (pronounced 'mus-kals').

I feel like the Haribo theme song is coming and Trae and L**** are eating gummies while lifting.

Haha, with My Little Ponies on the tele.

Trae Young vs. Luka Doncic: Who is better set up for success?

In round one of their year-to-year battles, Doncic got the upper hand. Young, however, wasn’t far behind, turning up his level of play post-All-Star break...The diminutive point guard put up 19.1 points to go along with 8.1 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game. He may not have been able to make up the ground entirely, but he was right alongside Luka on the All-Rookie first team.

As each inch closer to their ceilings, the debate will only pick up more steam. Who winds up the consensus favorite might be out of their hands. In a team sport, it’s their supporting casts that might make all the difference.

Given the deficiencies both Doncic and Young have exuded on the defensive end, both squads must surround them with able defenders to hide their weaknesses. Atlanta recently drafted De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish, two lanky and athletic wings who could be interchangeable defensively. With those two, the Hawks will be able to switch plenty of screens defensively as well as hide their star point guard on the oppositions weakest scorer a la Steph Curry. Atlanta’s roster construction is set up to be elite defensively...