Could this week be the last time we see Trae Young in an Atlanta Hawks uniform?
Though it seemed unfathomable, the seeming malcontent has caused the unintentional departures of Lloyd Pierce and Nate McMillan … so far.
The Hawks brought in Quin Snyder after McMillan’s dismissal, and in a vote of confidence for Snyder over Young, team ownership has given team management the option to shop Young after the end of the season … which is all but inevitable this week at the hands of the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, Toronto Raptors, or – if the Hawks are luck – the Boston Celtics.
If the Hawks were to somehow string together a couple of wins, they might put the Heat in disarray. Not that Miami would seek to unload Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo by any means … but you’d have to believe a slight rebuild would be in order, albeit on the fly.
Anyone not named Jimmy or Edrice might be on the move. Think I’m wrong?
We once thought Trae Young to be untouchable, too.
Wonder where we’d be if the Hawks had kept Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks had kept Young.
Grab those red, yellow, black, and gray No. 11s while you can.
Atlanta Hawks @ Miami Heat 7:30 p.m. TNT
Kaseya Center, Miami Florida PROJECTED WINNER: Miami Heat
********************
Last summer, we saw predictable battles between LeBron James and Father Time (Jason Momoa).
King James was a natch victor, as it is scripted.
But the 2022-23 season has been anything but scripted for James and the Los Angeles Lakers … unless you know Anthony Davis and his penchant for injuries.
Davis aside, there was the Russell Westbrook drama and eventual exit, as well as James’ maladies, suggesting that Momoa/Time is catching up with the veteran talent in his 20th season.
Knee, foot, hand, and that ever-pesky groin – which has flared up multiple times over multiple seasons – have “slowed” James to a 28.9 point per game clip, down from 30.3 a year ago.
While his latest malady actually afforded him time off to ready himself for the play-in and playoffs, it definitely raises the question whether or not the sun is beginning it’s slow set on James’ storied career.
For tonight’s play-in, the biggest gifts were Rudy Gobert punching Kyle Anderson, and then Jaden McDaniels punching the wall … and the wall winning. Gobert and McDaniels are both out.
Watch the Lakers in the playoffs and pray for the health of their stars. It’s bound that one of them goes down.
I’m betting on Davis.
Minnesota Timberwolves @ Los Angeles Lakers 10 p.m. TNT
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles Calif. PROJECTED WINNER: Los Angeles Lakers
********************
Tracy Graven is the Senior NBA Analyst for BackSportsPage.com.
He has written the NBA, done NBA Radio, and appeared as a guest for the last 21+ years for HoopsWorld, Swish Magazine, HoopsHype, the Coach Scott Fields Show, NBARadioShow.com, and is also tackling the NFL, NCAA, and will be pinch-hitting on some Major League Baseball coverage for BackSportsPage.
He’s spent 21 years in locker rooms in Orlando, Boise (CBA, G League), San Antonio, Phoenix, Denver, Oklahoma City, and Atlanta.
A corporate trainer by day, he currently resides in SEC Country near Knoxville, Tennessee.
Reach him on Twitter at @RealTMoneyMedia
Featured Articles
Featured Writers
