bring in young people got the second choice for the NBA All-Star of his career last season, finishing in the top three in fan, media and player voting. In this 2023 the story is different.
The 24-year-old player was ranked fifth among the guards in the Eastern Conference they finally count, back Kyrie Irving, Donovan Mitchell, James Harden and Jaylen Brown. He probably won’t get enough votes from fans or members of the media to be a starter.
But Young could be an All-Star alternate, right? Probably not.
While the Hawks player is used to having mammoth stats, a deeper look at Young’s game and the big picture in Atlanta shows why he might not be at the party in Salt Lake City.
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Trae Young is not the same offensive force for the Hawks
In the 2021-2022 season, Young averaged 28.4 points and 9.7 assists in 34.9 minutes per game. Meanwhile, he’s down a bit in that, with 27.4 goals and 9.8 assists. Those base numbers are almost certainly All-Star.
However, his shooting percentages have dropped significantly. Wherever he is, the point guard can’t score at the same rate as in the past.
| Hit by Trae Young | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 |
|---|---|---|
| field goal % | 46% | 42.4% |
| Shooting % from two | 51.2% | 47.4% |
| % of triples | 38.2% | 33% |
| Restricted area | 59.3% | 56.3% |
| Average distance | 52.8% | 42.3% |
| front triple | 37.4% | 33.3% |
| triple step back | 40.9% | 28.6% |
And it’s not like Young suddenly started shooting less often, as he’s averaging 20.3 shots a night, the same number as last season.
His usage rate is also essentially the same (34.4 by 33.4). Only Luka Doncic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Ja Morad currently have a higher percentage than Young. The problem is, he hasn’t been as effective as those players or others in the All-Star conversation. This is partly why the Hawks dropped from second in offensive efficiency to 21st this season.
There are other factors, of course, but Young ranks among the league leaders in time on the ball, average seconds per touch and average dribbles or dribbles by touch.
The point guard is the engine of Atlanta’s offenseand for the first half of the season, that engine doesn’t perform as well as it should.
Trae Young is hurting the Hawks on defense again
Young is often at a disadvantage as a defender because of his size, but many in his position have been able to challenge opponents despite their small stature. Chris Paul and Patrick Beverley They are two good examples that physical disadvantage can be the opposite without going any further.
The biggest problem is that the star just isn’t willing to try at that end of the court. As The Ringer’s Michael Pina pointed out, these kinds of possessions happen all too often.
When Young is on the floor, the Hawks have a defensive rating of 113.1. While sitting on the bench that number drops to 108.8. That’s the difference between being the Grizzlies and the Hornets defensively.
When comparing Young to any other All-Star prospect, there’s no reason to ignore the defensive issue. If the other person even tries, they automatically win the conversation.
The problems and irregularity of the Hawks
These have been some of the Hawks-related stories in recent months.
- His coach, Nate McMillan, considered quitting according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
- Opposing executives believe Trae Young will be the next big thing on the market according to Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes.
That’s a lot of drama for a team currently in the Play-In zone with a 23-22 record. Young isn’t leading the Hawks to victory, so he can’t rely on the team’s success to bolster his case.
Young can still turn his season around and help Atlanta climb the board, but unfortunately for him, he may not have enough time to make an All-Star.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
