Hawks’ Trae Young to have MRI after exiting game, limping from arena

The Hawks got a scare Wednesday night when Trae Young left the win at Brooklyn after spraining his right knee in the first quarter.

Young went down after colliding with teammate Mouhamed Gueye, who was shoved into him by the Nets’ Noah Clowney on an inbounds play.

Young immediately grabbed at the knee but stayed in the game briefly before checking out after one possession, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

An MRI is scheduled for Thursday, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, who reports there’s currently no concern about ligament damage. Coach Quin Snyder told reporters postgame that the team isn’t worried about the ACL and will wait for imaging results before determining Young’s status.

Young was seen leaving Barclays Center with a slight limp but no crutches or walking boot, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

A long-term absence would be devastating for an Atlanta team trying to find its rhythm after a 2–3 start.

The Hawks revamped their roster over the summer by adding Kristaps Porzingis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Luke Kennard, but chemistry has been slow to come.

Young, still the engine of the offense, entered the night averaging 20.8 points and 9.5 assists per game. He’s struggled from deep so far, hitting just 19.2 percent from three, but remains the heartbeat of everything Atlanta does.

Young, 27, didn’t reach an extension with the Hawks this offseason and is eligible for a four-year, $223 million deal.

He holds a $49 million player option for 2026–27, which could allow him to test free agency as soon as next summer.