The Atlanta Hawks have been without star point guard Trae Young since October 31 after he was diagnosed with a sprained MCL in his right knee. Young suffered the injury two days prior against the Brooklyn Nets, but it seems like the Hawks won’t have to wait for long before he returns to the lineup.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, sources have indicated that Young could make his return from injury later this month.
“Hawks star Trae Young, who sustained a sprained MCL on Oct. 29, is optimistic about returning to action this month, sources said. The Hawks have gone 12-8 without Young in the lineup, and they believe his fit with a rising core in Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Zaccharie Risacher and Onyeka Okongwu will elevate the team,” Charania wrote.
The Hawks initially ruled out Young for four weeks, but they extended his recovery timeline by two weeks at the end of November, as reported by The Associated Press. That means he could return as early as next week based on the Hawks’ latest update.
Hawks Winning Without Young
The Atlanta Hawks have been without Trae Young for 20 games and counting. It was a tough blow for a Hawks team that was looking to make some noise in the wide-open Eastern Conference.
But instead of sulking and playing out of sorts, the Hawks started winning games and registered a record of 12-8. They are being led by Jalen Johnson, who has been acting as the team’s primary playmaker in Young’s absence.
Johnson is averaging 24.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.7 steals in his past 20 games. He’s also shooting 53.5% from the field, including 41.4% from 3-point range, and 80.2% from the free-throw line.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker has also stepped up as the Hawks’ secondary option behind Johnson. He was initially signed to be a sixth man but has played his way into a starring role ahead of Dyson Daniels, who is having shooting woes this season.
Kristaps Porzingis has been fantastic when he’s healthy, while Onyeka Okongwu is putting up great numbers when his number is called. Okongwu is averaging 16.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.1 blocks per game.
Trade Proposal Sends Young to Milwaukee For Giannis
Due to the Hawks success without Trae Young, especially on the defensive end, it wasn’t surprising to see his name in the trade rumor mill. Young also didn’t sign an extension with Atlanta this offseason, so he could become a free agent next summer if he opts out of his player option.
ESPN’s Kevin Pelton put Young in a trade proposal that would send him to the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a package deal for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Hawks receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Cole Anthony
Bucks receive: Trae Young, Zaccharie Risacher and four first-round picks.
Pelton mentioned that the Bucks would likely ask for Jalen Johnson instead of Young due to his ties with Wisconsin and his bargain extension. The ESPN analyst also pointed out that if Milwaukee ends up with “Ice” Trae, they could find a third team and send him there.
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