Trae Young was back in the Atlanta Hawks line-up after a long layoff, returning from an MCL sprain that had kept him out since October 29.
Expectations were high for Young’s comeback, but the night did not go as planned for Atlanta.
The Hawks lost 133-126 to the Hornets, and the 27-year-old guard finished with just eight points in 20 minutes.
Statistical evidence points to Hawks performing better without Trae Young
The Hawks got a massive performance from Jalen Johnson, who finished with 43 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists. But that was not enough to get the job done.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 28 points off the bench, but even with those efforts, it was still a bad loss against a team Atlanta should have taken care of.
There has been plenty of discussion about how much better the Hawks look defensively without Young in the line-up, and this result did not help his case.
The numbers back up the conversation. The Hawks have had a noticeably better season, achieving a .591 win percentage, in games without Young compared to a .333 win percentage when he has played, according to StatMuse.
Why the Hawks might consider moving on from Trae Young
Johnson has continued to establish himself as a key figure in Atlanta’s line-up, taking significant steps forward this season.
His development could give the Hawks reason to think about shifting their focus towards building around him long-term.
Young is in the final guaranteed year of his contract but holds a $49 million player option for 2026-27. He could opt out and become an unrestricted free agent if an extension is not agreed upon before then.
If results do not improve and there is still a lack of chemistry, Atlanta might have little choice but to explore trade options for Young ahead of the deadline.
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