Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young left Wednesday nightâs 117â112 win over the Brooklyn Nets with a right knee sprain after teammate Mouhamed Gueye fell backward into his leg late in the first quarter. Head coach Quin Snyder said postgame that Youngâs injury is not related to his ACL and that the All-Star guard will undergo an MRI âtonight or tomorrow.â
âI think the most important thing is that it is not his ACL. Heâs going to get an MRI tonight or tomorrow and make a determination from there. So, not sure how long or what respect, but something that heâs going to hopefully be back from whenever possible. He didnât want to come out of the game. Heâs such a competitor. He takes a lot of pride in being available. Thereâs been a lot of times in the time that weâve been together where heâs banged up and he goes out and plays, and you saw that tonight, too. He tried to stay in there.â â Quin Snyder, via Brad Rowland
Young was standing under the basket when Gueye, bumped in the chest by Nets forward Noah Clowney, lost balance and tumbled into Youngâs planted right leg. Young stayed down in pain, returned for one possession after a timeout, then checked himself out and headed to the locker room. He did not return. He finished with six points in seven minutes.
How the Play Happened
The contact came on a scramble near the rim as the Nets and Hawks jostled for position. Clowneyâs shove sent Gueye backward into Young, catching the guardâs knee at an awkward angle. Medical staff assessed Young on the bench before he briefly re-entered. After the next possession, he signaled to the bench and exited. Atlanta later listed him with a right knee sprain.
Snyderâs Update & Next Steps
Snyderâs confirmation that the injury is not an ACL issue offers immediate relief, but the MRI will clarify the sprain grade and any associated damage. The Hawks did not provide a timetable. Snyder also emphasized Youngâs push to continue.
What It Means for Atlanta
Young, who turned 27 last month, entered Wednesday averaging 20.8 points and 9.5 assists after leading the NBA in assists per game last season at 11.6. His availability drives Atlantaâs half-court creation, pick-and-roll volume and late-clock offense. If he misses time, Snyder can spread ball-handling duties between Jalen Johnson and secondary guards, with more on-ball reps for Nickeil Alexander-Walker and shooting gravity from Luke Kennard to keep driving lanes open. Onyeka Okongwuâs screening and short-roll playmaking become more central, while Gueyeâs minutes may fluctuate depending on matchups.
The Hawks closed out the road win without Young, a positive early signal for a group trying to build depth and resilience. Atlanta is 2-3 through five games; the timeline for Youngâs return will hinge on MRI findings and how his knee responds over the next 24-48 hours.
Big Picture
Contact sprains like Wednesdayâs often prompt same-night shutdowns even when the initial exam is encouraging. Snyderâs ânot his ACLâ line is the key early detail; everything after that is pending imaging. For now, the facts are straightforward: Young sustained a right knee sprain against the Nets, briefly attempted to continue, and was held out as the Hawks finished the job in Brooklyn.
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