2024-25 Atlanta Hawks Roster Preview: Trae Young

The future of Atlanta's franchise player has been in question for years. 2024-25 is his chance to freeze those narratives in their tracks.

Oct 8, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) looks for a play against Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Age: 26 years old (7th season)

Height, Weight: 6'1, 164 lbs

2023-24 Averages: 25.7 points, 10.8 assists and 2,8 rebounds per game on 43%/37.3%/85.5% splits (54 games)

Career Averages: 25.5 points, 9.5 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game on 43.6%/35.5%/87.3% shooting splits (407 games)

While it may seem obvious, it bears repeating that Trae Young is one of the best offensive engines in the NBA. Outside of the Jokic/Luka/Embiid/Giannis tier, there are very few teams in the NBA that are built around their star player in the way that the Hawks are.

Last year was the first season in the Young era that the Hawks finished outside the top 10 in offensive rating. It does not seem like a coincidence that he only played 55 games last year. He is a 20-25 points per game scorer who draws the bulk of defensive attention and one of the most gifted passers in the NBA. If he had qualified last season, he would have ranked 2nd in assists per game last season. He has never finished outside the top-four in assists per game and excels at creating chances for others. Simply put, his consistency as a scorer and playmaker deserves more praise than it often receives.

Now, there is another side to the Trae Young conversation. He is a small point guard. Outside of the Golden State Warriors, there are very few teams that have achieved high-level postseason success. This is because Young's defense will always be handicapped by his size. For the first few seasons of his career, his defensive effort was lackluster and contributed to the Hawks' struggles on that end of the floor. He is also not the most efficient player and averages 4.2 turnovers a game for his career.

All of this is known about Young. Why might things be different in 2024-25?

Even if Young himself does not change too much, the perception of his skillset might. Frankly, I do not think there is much more that Young can improve in his game other than some shot selection issues and maintaning his defensive effort. He is going to have the ball in his hands a lot of the time and occassionally have some ill-advised turnovers. It does not seem to be a fixable problem. However, the pieces around him are better-equipped to his talents than they were in 2023-24.

First, the Hawks showed signs of being capable of running a five-out lineup during their preseason opener vs the Pacers when they played Larry Nance at the 5. Surrounding Young with plenty of shooting is how the Hawks made the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021 and it's a formula Atlanta might be able to return to during this season. Young is at his best when surrounded by plenty of movement that leads to open looks. He can find open shooters from almost anywhere on the court. The Hawks only finished 17th in three-point percentage despite taking the seventh-most threes per game. With a healthy Young in the lineup and shooters who are comfortable without a ton of offensive touches, I'd expect that percentage to rise this season.

Secondly, the Hawks have more defensive talent to cover up for Young's limitations as a two-way player. I'd argue that these limitations have been greatly exaggerated - he was more of a neutral defender last year. Against the Magic, he actually had solid possessions on forward Paolo Banchero despite being at a height and strength disadvantage. He took good angles and forced Banchero into settling for a bad shot. He was also more aggressive when getting into passing lanes and going for steals. It'd be difficult to say he's a good defender, but I think he can be a neutral defender for Atlanta in 2024-25.

If that's the case, he should be able to find more support within the Hawks' new defensive infrastructure. Dyson Daniels excels at taking on the toughest perimeter matchup and going against opposing ball-handlers. Jalen Johnson is a good answer for the other team's best wing. Zaccharie Risacher is a rookie, but there's a chance he grows into a neutral defender as a rookie. That's to say nothing of Kobe Bufkin, who plays hard on defense as a 6'4 guard with good tools and awareness. On paper, I think it's the most complete defensive roster that Young has had since the 2020-21 season.

Lastly, I think there's room for Young to do a little less for Atlanta and improve his efficiency. Undoubtedly, he will cede some shots to Johnson and Risacher. In particular, Johnson looked like someone capable of taking on enough of a scoring burden to average 20 points per game. If he continues to grow as a scorer, the defense will not be able to key in on Young. Risacher might be more dependent on Young to set him up, but he showed some hints of creation ability in the preseason opener. His game lacks smoothness and he'll certainly need some time, but he should be able to impact touches as a catch-and-shoot option at the very least. Furthermore, Bufkin looked like the clear front-runner for the backup point guard job. If he can handle more minutes and serve as a solid playmaker, Young might be able to reduce his workload and rest more. That will keep him healthier and primed to maintain his form throughout the game rather than settling for bad shots due to exhaustion.

Point-blank, the Hawks are a much better team when Young is in the lineup. There are questions about the ultimate ceiling of the team, but this is one of the most talented squads Young has had to work with. I think it's a better overall team than last year and it fits with his strengths. If he can stay healthy, I expect him to improve his standing in NBA discourse and lead the Hawks back to the playoffs.

Best-Case Scenario: Young works well with all the new pieces and the Hawks return back to a top-10 offensive rating. He raises his steal numbers to a top-5 mark and makes better decisions on offense to become a more impactful player on both ends of the floor. He continues to shoot well on high volume from deep and maintains his status as one of the best offensive creators in the NBA.

Worst-Case Scenario: Young's defense takes a step back and his shooting numbers slump. He is still a talented playmaker, but the same turnover issues that have plagued him reach a high point. He struggles to adapt to the change in personnel.