On Tuesday evening, Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young briefly alarmed the fanbase by teasing an interview with NBA commentator Adam Lefkoe, seeming to hint as his reported discontentment with his contract situation with the team. The move came just days after Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James' own apparent big announcement turned out to be nothing more than an advertisement.
On Wednesday, Hawks fans breathed a collective sigh of relief when it turned out that Young's video announcement was something similar, his partnership with the Crooked Tea team. At the end of the video, he said, “It's just business,” referencing an earlier post on X, formerly Twitter, with the same message that had fans buzzing.
Overall, Young's false alarm might cause another big eyeroll from the NBA community in the wake of James' similar decision, but Hawks fans will certainly be happy that it wasn't something more.
A big season in Atlanta
The Atlanta Hawks are now less than a week away from kicking off their most highly anticipated season in years. The Atlanta front office, led by newly minted general manager Onsi Saleh, has been busy this offseason, trading for both Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, signing Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard, drafting Asa Newell, and swindling the New Orleans Pelicans out of a potentially extremely valuable 2026 first-round pick.
The one situation that remains unresolved revolves around Trae Young's contract. Marc J. Spears of ESPN reported that Young was “disappointed” that the Hawks didn't offer him an extension, but it looks like the All-Star is content to play the year out and then potentially hit free agency next summer, where he would be sure to have a number of suitors.
Still, in the short term, Young has been surrounded with far and away the best roster of his career, filled with length, shooting, and rim protection, all of the things he needs to accentuate his strengths and help cover for his weaknesses.
The Hawks are set to begin their season on October 22 at home against the Toronto Raptors.
