The Next Phase in Trae's Development

[Jamaaliver]

Trae Young’s quest to change his narrative could be the key the Hawks need



Going into his third season, Young is positioning himself to be in the best shape he has been in to carry the Hawks into the postseason. Even with Young finishing in the top five in both points and assists, Atlanta only won 20 games and was the fourth-worst team. A lot of the team’s failures had to do with how it was constructed. Watching the playoffs after such a long layoff has given Young additional motivation to not be in this position again next year.

“I don’t ever want to not be in the playoffs again,” Young said Thursday.

There has been a cloud hanging over Young’s game as it is perceived by fans and some inside the league that what matters most to him are personal stats, which is an understandable observation from those on the outside. He frequently plays deep into blowout games, while some think he’s a chucker from deep 3-point range who only cares about being shown on highlights pages on social media, and he has been accused of hunting for assists.

“It’s so frustrating for me. I hate the narrative of just being a scorer, and my stats don’t mean anything. I don’t want that narrative where it’s like I’m all about stats because I’m not," Young said.

The truth of the matter is Young deeply cares what people think of his game, as do many other players his age and even older.

“It’s been this way since I was in high school,” Young said about why he thinks he continues to be doubted. "I play the game the way I know how, and it’s worked for me up until this point. Now I need to make it work and turn it around for this franchise and hopefully get us to the playoffs next year. That’s my main focus.”

He acknowledged that he has to get better on [the defensive] end of the floor. If he does, the floor of this team rises.

“It’s being in the best shape of my life to be able to play a lot of minutes and play with a lot of effort on both ends,” Young said. “That’s really it for me. It’s all about being in the best condition I’ve ever been in. I know on the defensive end it’s all about effort and being smart. I have one of them. It’s more about being in the best shape and being able to fight on both ends for a full game."

“Winning is my main key,” Young said. “Y’all will probably hear me talk about that all year when you ask me about individual things like stats and accolades. Y’all are going to get the same answer every time. My main focus going into my third year is winning. It’s always been my focus but it’s even more now more than ever. Watching these games has been tough just watching them and not being in that position. For me, that’s my main focus going into Year 3: winning and doing whatever I need to do to get us over the top and get into the playoffs.”

The Athletic

[Spud2nique]

Trae Young’s quest to change his narrative could be the key the Hawks need



Going into his third season, Young is positioning himself to be in the best shape he has been in to carry the Hawks into the postseason. Even with Young finishing in the top five in both points and assists, Atlanta only won 20 games and was the fourth-worst team. A lot of the team’s failures had to do with how it was constructed. Watching the playoffs after such a long layoff has given Young additional motivation to not be in this position again next year.

“I don’t ever want to not be in the playoffs again,” Young said Thursday.

There has been a cloud hanging over Young’s game as it is perceived by fans and some inside the league that what matters most to him are personal stats, which is an understandable observation from those on the outside. He frequently plays deep into blowout games, while some think he’s a chucker from deep 3-point range who only cares about being shown on highlights pages on social media, and he has been accused of hunting for assists.

“It’s so frustrating for me. I hate the narrative of just being a scorer, and my stats don’t mean anything. I don’t want that narrative where it’s like I’m all about stats because I’m not," Young said.

The truth of the matter is Young deeply cares what people think of his game, as do many other players his age and even older.

“It’s been this way since I was in high school,” Young said about why he thinks he continues to be doubted. "I play the game the way I know how, and it’s worked for me up until this point. Now I need to make it work and turn it around for this franchise and hopefully get us to the playoffs next year. That’s my main focus.”

He acknowledged that he has to get better on [the defensive] end of the floor. If he does, the floor of this team rises.

“It’s being in the best shape of my life to be able to play a lot of minutes and play with a lot of effort on both ends,” Young said. “That’s really it for me. It’s all about being in the best condition I’ve ever been in. I know on the defensive end it’s all about effort and being smart. I have one of them. It’s more about being in the best shape and being able to fight on both ends for a full game."

“Winning is my main key,” Young said. “Y’all will probably hear me talk about that all year when you ask me about individual things like stats and accolades. Y’all are going to get the same answer every time. My main focus going into my third year is winning. It’s always been my focus but it’s even more now more than ever. Watching these games has been tough just watching them and not being in that position. For me, that’s my main focus going into Year 3: winning and doing whatever I need to do to get us over the top and get into the playoffs.”

The Athletic

Not getting into the bubble is a blessing in disguise I believe. It stings and it makes you wanna get into the playoffs and destroy anything and everything that’s in your way. NASSS WRIIIGHT!!!

[Radioblacktive1]

Almost brings a tear to your eye seeing Trae locked in like this.

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[jayu70]

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[Jamaaliver]

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Can a defensively struggling superstar lead an NBA franchise to playoff success? The Atlanta Hawks may find themselves betting on it.

Is a stout defense necessary for a team to succeed in today’s NBA? Or can a gargantuan offense prove enough to skirt the obligation of defending, even to the point where the typical blood-sweat-pain exchange for an opposing team’s empty possession gets punted?

The Atlanta Hawks may face a version of this question surrounding their young All-Star Trae Young. [L]acking even a respectable defense at this point...the Hawks finished with the NBA’s third-worst defense, posting a putrid 114.4 defensive rating. As a result, they ended the season 20-47, the fourth-worst record in the NBA.

At the helm of this flimsy jello wall is Young, a majestic offensive player, whose poor defensive reads and slight stature made him an obvious target at the other end. Young averaged 29.6 points and 9.3 assists per contest, but still managed to barely be a net-positive on the court, finishing the season with an Offensive PIPM of 4.93 and a Defensive PIPM of minus-3.69.

Per Basketball-Reference, the Hawks posted an egregious 118.1 defensive rating with Young on the court, but a 111.3 defensive rating with Trae on the bench. Atlanta could have been a top-20 defense without Young, which isn’t much but at least nearing the path to an identity.

It’s almost impossible to suggest a player of Young’s offensive caliber is a hindrance to this Atlanta team. Yet, even with Young on the squad, Atlanta ranked sixth-worst in the offense, with a 107.0 offensive rating. His defense may be sinking the team even further than his offense helps it.

Even if these Hawks reach the playoffs soon, Young will be shoved into enough pick-and-rolls to make his head spin — defensive weaknesses like his rarely survive a postseason without exposure. Young must eventually improve defensively to render the Hawks dangerous, even if this improvement is by a small margin...the Hawks must sign complementary defenders as early as this offseason. high-level defenders can cover for Young by fighting through picks or playing help-side defense.

The deck is stacked against Atlanta, as they are young and have a recent history of ineffectiveness. However, Young’s numbers suggest a truly elite offensive talent, one of the league’s best guards for years to come. A defensively-improved Young, combined with intelligent defensive signings may put the Hawks back on the map.

The Stepback

[Jamaaliver]

Which NBA Players Under 23 Would You Actually Build Around?

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks

Trae Young is the worst defender in basketball. That's not a hyperbolic jab; stats say it's the truth. He ranked dead last in ESPN's defensive real plus-minus, which is exactly where he finished 2018-19 too. Defensive box plus/minus is slightly more generous, as he's graded as the second-worst defender over the past two campaigns (minimum 100 games).

Admittedly, this is a strange place to start a discussion on why Young is worth building around. But the fact that he offers no more resistance than a wet paper bag and still finds his way onto the list—plus the All-Star roster—says everything you need to know about his offensive excellence.

He bends opposing defenses the same way Stephen Curry did during the Golden State Warriors' dynastic run of three titles in four years. Young isn't the next Curry, of course, but the former delivers a similarly enormous impact.
Young is the kind of shooting threat who must be monitored at all times once he crosses half court. It's not just that he can launch from the logo—it's that he's a pull-up threat from anywhere (2.6 pull-up triples per game) and one of the game's most prolific playmakers (17.3 potential assists per game, second only to LeBron James). His quantifiable influence is silly: Atlanta's offense was 15.5 points better per 100 possessions with him than without.

The defense is concerning, but the right roster can hide a lot of his shortcomings. What teams can't do is create a player nearly as lethal as Young on offense. This was his second season in the league, and he finished it ranked fourth in scoring (29.6) and second in assists (9.3). He is already unstoppable, so it will be incredible to see where the future takes the 22-year-old. Anyone running a front office should want to find out.

Bleacher Report

[graymule]

Simple solution, I believe. Get a very good back up for Trae and reduce his minutes per game. Why will this help? With less minutes, Trae will be more rested and he will not worry so much about fouling out. This alone makes for better defense from him.

That's one reason I want the Hawks to draft Haliburton. He can play some 2 guard with Trae and carry the Hawks from the PG position when Trae takes a rest. This should give Trae the off time he needs...

[Jamaaliver]

Trae Young: Next season will be a big year in the evaluation of Young. On one hand, he has unquestionably been an offensive force since entering the league. On the other, one has to wonder if the degree to which Atlanta has maximized Young’s output in its heliocentric system (Young was second in the league in total usage and offensive time of possession percentage last season, trailing only Doncic in both categories) overstates his impact to a degree. Atlanta’s team construction certainly benefits Young in terms of either RAPM — the lack of a competent backup can make a star player look even better due to the oversized drop off when he leaves the game — or PIPM, as that same heliocentrism allows Young the benefit of collecting as many of the “table stakes” stats that a team gets almost just for showing up.

Also, defense. In the 378 minutes qualifying players were considered for the tiers list, Young finished 377th in DRAPM and 378th in DPIPM. Those numbers will presumably improve some as the Hawks get better, both by putting better defensive talent around him and by reducing his offensive burden somewhat. One could also project that as Atlanta plays in a higher number of competitive games, more focus and attention to detail on that end of the floor will be required.

If this sounds like I’m hating on Young, it’s more that I’m explaining why a player who averaged 29 and 9 on above-average efficiency isn’t placed higher in this taxonomy. It’s not make or break time exactly for a player who just turned 22 in September. But at some point, the gaudy individual numbers do have to translate into team success, which doesn’t seem like too big an ask for a player with designs on the Top 20 or higher.

The Athletic

[Jamaaliver]

From The Athletic -- An anonymous agent's take on Atlanta and Trae next season:

Atlanta has to take another huge step. And their challenge, the way that Trae Young plays as an individual is phenomenal, but I don’t know that they’re going to win that way. And I don’t think he’s willing to change his game. It might be kind of like a James Harden thing. Trae made the All-Star Game, everyone likes watching him play, but does that translate into winning? And they’re a young team and they need to make a step up.

You have to have more balance. I’m old school. I don’t think you can win with one dude scoring 40 every game, without a real good balance. I mean, Michael Jordan scored 40 with the Bulls before they put other talent around him and he did change his game. He scored 60 against the Celtics. But you create more balance. George Gervin was one of the most prolific scorers ever but never won. Wilt Chamberlain was averaging 50 and the Celtics would always beat them. It’s more team basketball. There’s a balance between excellent individualism of one or two guys, blended in with more of a team.

[Jamaaliver]

The 1 Skill Every Top Under-23 NBA Star Still Needs to Add

Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks: Opportunistic Defense



Slight of frame and small in stature, Trae Young has a low defensive ceiling.

But he can be better than he's been over his first two years—if only because he probably can't get any worse.

Young shoulders a heavy offensive load for the Atlanta Hawks, which means that even if he had better tools, it wouldn't be fair to ask for consistent shutdown efforts on D. There isn't a point guard in the league who matches Young's high-usage offense and also defends at an elite level. The comparison has been inescapable since Young was in college, but Stephen Curry-level competence should be the goal.

An intelligent player with fantastic vision, Young has also already mastered the art of foul-baiting. He suckers opposing defenders into cheap hacks better than most 10-year veterans. So we know Young is an expert at anticipating his opponent's movements and reacting with exceptional quickness when they're off balance.

So why was he ninth among Hawks players (among those who played at least 500 minutes in 2019-20) in deflections per 36 minutes? And why was his steal rate in the 30th percentile among point guards?

Young's lack of length is a factor, but there are plenty of examples of smaller guards being either a) more disruptive, or b) useful as off-ball defenders who can scamper around screens and stay glued to shooters. Few, if any, of them have Young's smarts and court sense.

Steals and deflections are just a tiny part of defense, but if Young is never going to be a great on-ball stopper, he should at least be able to cause some trouble off the ball.

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[Jamaaliver]

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[Jamaaliver]

Hope to see more of this outta Trae in Year 3.Could be the difference between a second All Star season and a All NBA selection.

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[Jamaaliver]

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In his second season, as the clear-cut best player on the Atlanta Hawks already, Trae Young averaged 29.6 points per game and 9.3 assists per game. Only James Harden, Bradley Beal, and Damian Lillard outscored him, and only LeBron James dished out more assists than Young on a per-game basis. As an individual, it’s hard to find many players who have been able to match his production this early in his NBA career.

He was a one-person offensive system in Atlanta. The Hawks with Young’s difference on the court and when he was on the bench was astronomical. In the minutes that Young was off the floor, the Hawks were basically the equivalent of an NBA G-League team trying to face off against NBA teams.

For all of the personal accolades that Young reached last season, his team remained one of the worst in the league. As easy as Young has made it look on offense, we haven’t really seen any one-person shows reach championship status in the league. The James Harden era in Houston is the closest we’ve seen to the heliocentric offense succeeding...Getting another playmaker and moving Young off-ball more could end up being the change that takes Atlanta from a fun NBA League Pass team to a playoff contender.

[graymule]

Writers seem to question Trae's ability to learn.

I find several reasons that he will be much better on defense this upcoming season. #1 reason, he knows that he needs to improve. We've been told that their early practice stressed defense. That's a pleasant change. He's not the only PG on today's roster and some of them expect to play some. That means, rest for Trae, lesser minutes and lesser worry about fouling out.

He will never be a great defensive PG. But, he can and will become a real pest there when he sets his mind to it. He's smart. He's willing to learn. Rondo has been there, done that and is willing and eager to teach Trae the finer points of being a defensive point guard in the NBA.

So many good things to look for this season - - And, it's coming THIS WEEK END !!

[tbhawksfan1]

I love that Cap has shown Trae that he's going to roll to the basket and that Trae has shown that he knows that Cap is going to roll to the basket

[Galloisdaman]

Many smaller frame guys struggle with NBA defense in their early years. Curry did as well. If Trae stays a 100 on offense and just gets average on defense he will be an all star for many years.

[Jamaaliver]

Predicting Top 25 Guards This Season



7. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks



Trae Young's potential to be the league's worst defender on any given night, if not a lion's share of the nights, will forever cap his peak in these debates. Much less concerning is the notion that his numbers receive a superficial boost from playing more like James Harden than Stephen Curry—and that he'll suffer upon transitioning into a role that calls for fewer than, roughly, all the on-ball reps.

The Atlanta Hawks' roster thus far has defined Young's terms of engagement, not the other way around. They haven't afforded him the requisite secondary scorers or playmakers to get him moving without the ball—or off the ball in general. That slightly more than 20 percent of his made buckets came off assists last season is a minor miracle.

Playing with Bogdan Bogdanovic and Danilo Gallinari (and perhaps Rajon Rondo) will shift the context of Young's role for the better. He canned 46.6 percent of his spot-up threes last season. Moving him off the ball, for whatever portion of his touches, should wear down defenses.

Leveraging catch-and-shoot touch alongside ultra-deep off-the-dribble jumpers, a rock-solid floater and open-floor passing will only expand Young's impact. He just averaged 29.6 points and 9.3 assists as a sophomore while ferrying a suboptimal supporting cast to offensive respectability during his minutes.

Imagine what he can do on a roster built to make his life easier.

Bleacher Report

[jayu70]

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But when Young was in California, he had an idea. What if the eight players who were returning to the Hawks could get around the restrictive practice facility rules and spend a week in California playing and working out together? He texted his teammates and asked if everyone could get together for one week, and in early November, Clint Capela, John Collins, Kevin Huerter, Cam Reddish, De’Andre Hunter, Bruno Fernando and Brandon Goodwin flew to Los Angeles....

“It was important for me to do this because it’s another way to add chemistry,” Young said. “The L.A. runs and the pickup that happens out there is so good, ..... and I thought it would be good to have the team out there so we could be on the same team and go up against these guys and get some work in that way. 

...... the Hawks showed up as a unit ready to take on anyone. During four of the five days they spent in California, they played pickup games on the same team against players such as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden.

Those pickup games are different because most of the time, players aren’t running sets. They might be strictly working on a few particulars in “game settings” and going 100 percent isn’t the standard.

The bolded below is noteworthy

Except for Reddish. He felt like he had something to prove after starting his rookie year in brutal fashion. 

“He didn’t go into it wide-eyed and looked at them as superstars,” Huerter said. “He went into it with the mindset of wanting to lock (Durant) up. That rubbed off on all of us. He really set the tone in those first few games that he was taking it seriously, and we weren’t gonna just run up and down and make it terrible basketball.”

[b]Huerter said that of the players who were there, Reddish stood out because of his ability to guard Durant and stay with him because of his length and athleticism.
[/b]
The main thing Reddish left California with, he said, was confidence.

[graymule]

We await the "new Trae" to the final pre season game tonight. Will his floater be back?
Will he be more Feisty on defense? Or, will these things stay hidden until the next game??

[Jamaaliver]

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