'Weirdest Situation Ever': Robert Horry Opens Up on Trae Young’s Contract Issues With Hawks

For a franchise like the Atlanta Hawks, one that has been stuck in the depths of mediocrity for years, securing the future of one of the NBA’s best players on their roster should be a priority. But the Trae Young situation has proved to be the opposite. With the danger of Young becoming an unrestricted free agent next year, there’s still no new deal on the table. Robert Horry recently spoke about the situation, pointing out how strange it is.

Horry, a seven-time NBA champion, expressed surprise over Young, despite being one of the league’s best scorers, being disliked. He doesn’t have nearly as many fans as some of the other superstars in the league. While that may be understandable — yes, his 2021 playoff run cemented him as the ultimate villain of the Eastern Conference — there’s no denying how talented Young is, and how valuable he remains to the Hawks organization.

The fact that Atlanta haven’t sent a proposal over to him yet has sparked rumors that they are now planning a future without him. So, is trading him away to some other team in exchange for a plethora of assets the right move? Horry doesn’t think so.

“I think it’s the weirdest situation ever,” the former Los Angeles Lakers star began on the Big Shot Bob podcast. “You look at what Trae does on the court and he’s still hated. There’s so many people that aren’t fans.” 

‘It’s hard to trade someone like Trae Young,” Horry continued. That said, it’s not because he feels Young is ‘untouchable’ and ‘irreplaceable’. It’s because teams will be scared to bring him on board.

“It’s just, teams are afraid of him. You look at him, he’s a liability on the defense. He’s so little, and he a niche player. So Trae Young is a type of player… to me, he’s like the Allen Iverson of this era. You look at what Allen Iverson did f or the Sixers, everyone he had on the team, they were designated for that one specific theme that fit Allen Iverson.”

Horry’s comments may have seemed self-contradictory, as he criticized aspects of Young’s game, moments after praising him. But what he meant to point out was that, like Iverson, Young too, needs the right set of players around him in Atlanta to shine, and help the team forward. Perhaps that’s what the Hawks’ front office should focus on.

“Trae has nothing to prove, he’s a star” – NBA Insider

Not everyone looks at both sides of the coin. Horry gave a balanced view on the Young situation, praised him for what he’s good at, and called him out for his weaknesses. Marc J. Spears, on the other hand, is baffled that the Hawks have not made Young’s extension a priority. 

During an ESPN segment, Spears insisted that if the Hawks don’t put an offer on the table soon, Young could start thinking of a future away from Atlanta himself. “So don’t be surprised if, at this poi nt, he plays this out and sees what happens next summer. But to me, Trae has nothing to prove. He’s a star,” he said.

“He’s the face. He’s their new Dominque Wilkins. He’s one of the best shooters in the league. I don’t think he has anything to prove, but there’s new sheriffs in town who want to figure out with this young group,” Spears added, suggesting that the Hawks may, in fact, plan for the coming seasons without him.

For now, Young remains a Hawk. But how committed he will be when he puts the uniform on in a couple months’ time, remains to be seen.