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Why Trae Young is reportedly 'disappointed' with the Hawks
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young. Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Why Trae Young is reportedly 'disappointed' with the Hawks

Superstar point guard Trae Young has been the face of the Atlanta Hawks since the moment he arrived in a draft-day trade with the Dallas Mavericks in 2018.

There have been some ups and downs throughout those seven years; however, you can't question whether Young's production has lived up to the billing of a top-five pick.

The 26-year-old has averaged more than 24 points per game in every season but his rookie campaign (19.1 PPG) and has shown the ability to elevate his play in the clutch and biggest moments during the postseason.

He is a premier point guard in today's NBA and has been all along, so when news of Spurs star point guard De'Aaron Fox inking a four-year max extension worth $229M came out, the focus turned to Young.

Young is eligible for a four-year max extension himself, but according to ESPN's Marc Spears, he hasn't yet been offered a contract, and the face of the franchise is "disappointed."

Young is right in the middle of his prime and coming off a season where he averaged 24.2 PPG and a career-high 11.6 APG, per ESPN stats. 

However, the Hawks lost in the play-in tournament each of the last two years and have not won a playoff series since their run to the Eastern Conference Finals back in 2020-21. 

Given that lack of success, there's been plenty of change to the roster and even the front office, with Landry Fields getting replaced by Onsi Saleh as general manager in April. 

The constant through it all has been Young, and the moves Atlanta made this summer felt like going all-in around its superstar. The acquisition of center Kristaps Porzingis and the signings of point guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker and shooting guard Luke Kennard to go with the core put the Hawks squarely in the mix to compete in a wide-open Eastern Conference. 

All of that makes it rather interesting to learn that they've yet to even approach their best player about an extension to remain a Hawk for the long term. 

Whether or not this report truly means anything about the Hawks' intentions with Young, there is no doubt teams around the NBA will be keeping a close eye on the situation. 

Jackson Weber

Jackson Weber is a sports writer with a BComm in Business and Sport Management from the University of Guelph. While he has focused primarily on NHL coverage in recent years, he brings strong knowledge and passion for the NFL, MLB, and NBA. Following all four major leagues year-round, Jackson delivers honest, opinion-driven stories on the biggest topics in sports

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