The Atlanta Hawks' early-season struggles took a worrying turn when Trae Young left Wednesday's game against the Brooklyn Nets with a right knee sprain. The injury occurred late in the first quarter when teammate Mouhamed Gueye fell into his planted right leg during an inbounds play, forcing Young to the locker room.
Head coach Quin Snyder offered some relief after the game, confirming it wasn't an ACL injury and that Young would undergo an MRI for proper evaluation. The Hawks managed to hold on for a 117-112 win, but the real test begins now as they navigate life without their offensive engine.
Following the victory, Hawks beat writer Brad Rowland broke down the harsh reality on social media, sharing offensive rating data from the past five seasons when Young sat and former teammate Dejounte Murray was no longer around to stabilize the offense.
The numbers tell a troubling story. Atlanta posted offensive ratings of 102.9 this season, 105.2 in 2024-25, 107.2 in 2021-22, 104.4 in 2020-21, and a dismal 95.7 in 2019-20 without Young on the floor. This season's 102.9 rating without him ranks among the worst stretches in recent years.
Rowland added context in a follow-up post, noting that defense becomes crucial for Atlanta to stay competitive during Young's absence.
“Goes without saying but a big part of the path to the Hawks holding up without Trae Young is being good on defense. Have to play some offensively challenged lineups, but can make up for some of that with size and versatility on defensive end,” he explained.
The four-time All-Star entered the night averaging 20.8 points and 9.5 assists through four games. Now sitting at 2-3, Atlanta faces a crucial stretch where Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker must handle the creation.
Johnson has emerged as an early two-way force, while Kristaps Porzingis provides stretch-five scoring to stabilize half-court possessions. However, replacing Young's volume as both a scorer and distributor remains Atlanta's challenge, especially given his ability to collapse defenses and create open spaces.
