The Atlanta Hawks can’t seem to catch a break these days. Their roster has been ravaged all season by a slew of injuries and their defense remains one of the worst in the entire league. Just this week, Lloyd Pierce was sacked after leading the team to an abysmal 14-20 record, the 11th in the Eastern Conference.
With the NBA approaching the All-Star weekend and the playoffs after that, it’s only sensible for fans to push the panic button now. The Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors, two teams that have rebounded in the standing, are well within reach of a playoff spot in the East. The Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers, and Charlotte Hornets are all battling to nab that last two tickets to the postseason. And while all these teams are surging, the Hawks are falling apart right before our very eyes.
At the center of it all is Atlanta’s franchise player, Trae Young. As the Hawks continue to stumble, Young’s value in the card market has been dragged down as well. Is this a short-term thing or the start of a long slump that will carry over to the following season? We take a look below at why this is happening to the Hawks and how Trae Young’s card value is going to be affected.
Reasons behind the Atlanta Hawks’ woes
Peep the standings and you’ll see Atlanta has lost eight of their last 11 games. Of those eight games, the Hawks lost six of them by double digits. Needless to say, there are two major reasons that come into play – injuries and an uninspiring defense.
Staying healthy this season has been the biggest challenge of every team in the league. The Hawks are no exception with Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kris Dunn, Kevin Huerter, Cam Reddish, and De’Andre Hunter out of the lineup because of injuries.
The absence of these players has dealt a devastating blow, especially on stopping the other team from scoring. This is primarily evident in the wing position, where Hunter, Reddish, and Huerter are usually assigned. As a result, the team’s defensive rating is down to 114.57, which is currently 24th in the NBA. Not to mention that Kris Dunn was pegged as a perfect defensive complement to Trae Young's supernova offensive game.
The absence of key players and a lackluster defense has led opposing squads to easily defeat the Hawks during these past few weeks. Of course, Young should also be closely monitored to determine if he’s contributing to Atlanta’s recent struggles.
Trae Young and his role in all of this
Without a doubt, Trae Young is a force to be reckoned with on the offensive end of the floor. On any given night, the third-year guard can light it up from way beyond downtown, run to the rim for an easy two, or set his teammates up to get that bucket. On the defensive end of things, though? Well, there’s a lot of improvement that needs to be done from the All-Star.
Trae Young's defense is incredibly bad. This is last second, up by 1 point – level of effort. My jaw was on the floor over how easy that game winner was. #AtlantaHawks #NBA pic.twitter.com/b9tet4IWGn
— Truth Hurts (@singletrackdan) February 24, 2021
Young, for all of his offensive talent, is a non-factor when it comes to defense. He currently owns a -1.6 defensive box plus/minus rating, placing him 167th on a list of 186 active players. His 6’1” size and thin frame allow opponents to breeze by him to the rim or score over him for a jumper. And with the absence of a defensive-minded guard to play with Young in the backcourt, opposing squads have continued to exploit this weakness on a nightly basis.
Along with his defense, or the lack thereof, Atlanta’s offense takes a dive when Young isn’t scoring well. Taking a look at Young’s game log, it’s seen that the Hawks win when he scores 20 or more points. If he doesn’t, the team’s offense suffers, which leads to a loss.
It’s quite telling that Atlanta needs Young to score a lot every game just to get away with the win. The truth of the matter is that it’s not sustainable. If no one steps up, especially on nights Young isn’t performing well, the Hawks will continue to fall in the standings. But at the same time, we still don't have a clear picture of what this team is fully capable of when actually healthy. The defenders that were supposed to flank Young are struggling to get on the court at all. But if things finally swing the Hawks' way, maybe Trae can channel some of the start-of-season magic they had when they began undefeated and even took down the might Brooklyn Nets.
What to do with Trae Young cards
A lot of collectors and investors alike were so up high on Young before the season started. With Atlanta’s major acquisitions and the expectations that Young will take another leap, people invested heavily in the third-year guard, especially since his card price was really attractive.
The thing is, Young hasn’t rewarded the faith of those who invested in him at this point in the season. As it stands, his PSA 10 Prizm rookie card is selling between $405 and $475 on eBay. This is a far cry from Young’s stock at the start of this year, which went to as much as $900.
Now, some people may have lost money by getting Trae Young cards. Selling him now won’t fix the problem. If you're thinking short-term, it’s prudent to wait for Young to have a hot performance or Atlanta to nab a spot in the playoffs. When either of those things happens, sell your Trae Young stock in the soonest time possible.
On the other hand, you can hold your Trae Young cards for the long term. If you're patient enough to wait for the Hawks to figure things out and potentially become a powerhouse in the NBA, his value will spike up to insane levels. All of these potential scenarios are way better and more sensible than selling your stock at a loss. It’s best to be patient for now and hope that Young and the Atlanta Hawks get their act together soon.
Follow Us
Subscribe