Hawks, Trae Young heading for trade separation?

The Atlanta Hawks got off to a good start this NBA season as their successful move to acquire Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs during the offseason paid off. Atlanta was 7-3 out of the gate, playing good basketball at both ends of the court. Since then, however, they’ve failed to string games together consistently.

The Hawks then alternated between wins and losses for eight games before losing five of their next seven games. They’ve gotten a little confused, which can be traced back to another falling out between All-Star Trae Young and head coach Nate McMillan.

Young has been dealing with a nagging right shoulder, for which he is being treated. Last Friday, as described by Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic, before the Hawks took on the Denver Nuggets, Young was busy with his job during the team’s shootaround. That’s not something McMillan approved, and based on the team rules in effect, a player can’t start if they don’t participate in a shootaround.

Once Young made it clear that he would miss the shootaround and make a decision to play later in the day, McMillan presented him with an ultimatum. Get off the bench before the game or don’t show up. Young chose not to play as he was announced with shoulder pain.

The Hawks won that game 117-109 as Murray had a big game record with 34 points and eight assists. It was an excellent all-round game for the team as seven players scored in double digits and everyone participated. That hasn’t always been the case this season with Young in the mix.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Trae Young & Atlanta Hawks Updates

Despite Murray’s presence, Young’s usage percentage remains nearly identical to last season, but his efficiency is down as he shoots 40.9 percent overall and 28.9 percent on 3-pointers. The Hawks make the fewest passes per game as Young remains the focal point of the attacking offense, but they are not as dynamic as they have been in recent years.

As a result, something will eventually pay off when it comes to Young and McMillan’s relationship. The two have not always been in agreement and there has been a lot of tension between the two and the entire dressing room this season. Multiple team meetings have been held to smooth things over, but the issues seem to run pretty deep.

Young’s inability to get in touch with Lloyd Pierce, the team’s head coach prior to McMillan, was a major factor in his firing in 2021. McMillan took over on an interim basis and led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals. His orbit is secure for now, but if they are to reach their potential, he and his star must get on the same wavelength.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Trae Young & Atlanta Hawks Updates

In this day and age, players have no problem increasing their power and requesting trades, even with several years left on their contract. Could that be something we see Young doing for the foreseeable future despite being in the first season of a five-year supermax renewal?

If Young proves unable to become the leader the Hawks need, a trade could ultimately make sense for both sides. Right now, that’s probably not in the cards, as the Hawks have other players like John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Clint Capela who could be on the move.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Trae Young & Atlanta Hawks Updates

Unfortunately, given his importance to the franchise, the Hawks would likely fire McMillan and look for a new head coach who could be a good fit for Young before considering trading him. Very rarely does the head coach win in a power struggle with the player, in which this situation finally seems to resolve, given the great tension that has already been there.