Why would a long-term injury to Tree Young be such a disaster
The Atlanta Hawks‘ The early season struggles took a worrying turn when Trae Young left Wednesday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets with a sprained right knee. The injury occurred late in the first quarter when teammate Mouhamed Gueie fell on a planted right leg during a play within a play, forcing Young to the locker room.
Coach Quin Snyder offered some relief after the game, confirming that it was not an ACL injury and that Young would undergo an MRI for proper evaluation. The Hawks held on for a 117-112 win, but the real test begins now as they navigate life without their offensive engine.
After the win, Hawks beat writer Brad Rowland broke down the harsh reality on social media, sharing offensive rating data from the past five seasons when Young sat and former teammate Dejounte Murray was no longer there to stabilize the offense.
The numbers tell a worrying story. Atlanta posted offensive ratings of 102.9 this season, 105.2 in 2024-25, 107.2 in 2021-22, 104.4 in 2020-21, and a dismal 95.7 in 2019-20 without Young on the floor. This season’s 102.9 rating without him is among the worst in recent years.
Rowland added context in a follow-up post, noting that defense becomes crucial for Atlanta to remain competitive during Young’s absence.
“It goes without saying, but a big part of the Hawks going without Tree Young is being good on defense. We have to play some offensively challenging lineups, but they can make up for some of that with size and versatility on the defensive end,” he explained.
The four-time All-Star entered the night averaging 20.8 points and 9.5 assists in four games. Now 2-3, Atlanta faces a crucial stretch in which Dyson Daniels, Jaylen Johnson and Nikhil Alexander-Walker must all struggle to create.
Johnson emerged as an early two-way force, while Kristaps Porzingis contributed five points to stabilize possession in the half court. However, replacing Young as a scorer and distributor remains a challenge for Atlanta, especially given his ability to break down defenses and create open spaces.
2025-10-30 15:13:00
