Trae Young's injury is a hammer blow for the Hawks

Young is the focal point of Atlanta's offensive system. His elite shooting and playmaking ability help the Hawks unlock the sternest defenses. This season, Young is averaging 26.4 points, 2.7 rebounds and 10.8 assists per game. 

With Young sidelined, Quin Snyder will undoubtedly turn to Dejounte Murray to lead the way. Murray is arguably a more complete player than Young due to his upside as a point-of-attack defender on the perimeter. However, Murray lacks the stardust sprinkling that Young brings to the rotation. 

Atlanta currently sits 10th in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks hold the final play-in tournament spot and currently have a three-game lead over the Brooklyn Nets. Without Young to lead the way, Snyder will likely be looking over his shoulder at both the Nets and Toronto Raptors. Failure to qualify for the postseason, or at least the play-in tournament, would be seen as a failure for Atlanta. 

It's also worth noting that Young has recently found himself in trade rumors. There is a belief that Atlanta could potentially be open to trading the star guard if the return makes sense for the franchise. With Young now out of the rotation for at least four weeks, the front office has an opportunity to see how the team looks with Murray running the show. 

As long as the Hawks can remain competitive in Young's absence, the coaching staff will likely be hoping he's back on the court when the postseason begins. Otherwise. Atlanta's season could quickly unravel. However, that could be the best way for Young to prove his value to a front office starting to look elsewhere as it considers a potential rebuild.