Trae Young has consistently been a snubbed superstar throughout his tenure in Atlanta. Despite averaging 25.3 points and 9.7 assists per game throughout his career, he is consistently omitted from All-Star teams and snubbed from Team USA rosters. Perhaps it has everything to do with how the Hawks have consistently failed to get out of the first round of the NBA playoffs aside from the magical run in 2021.
Coming up short is not on Trae Young, says The Steakhouse. Coming up short is on the Hawks and their inability to find him the elite number-two that teams need to win.
"Trae doesn't deserve any more heat," Steak said. "He took that a year and a half ago, two years ago. Dejounte Murray helped fuel this underbelly of discontent, but every great player, if they're going to have a chance, needs a number two."
The great NBA players need a second option. To their credit, the Hawks have tried but the Dejounte experiment was clearly a disaster and John Collins never found that elite gear.
Jalen Johnson has dramatically upped his game and appears to be the Robin to Trae's Batman, but he only averages 46 games played over his career. He's just not healthy enough at this point in his career.
"You're not going to contend, you're not even going to have your best player, you're not going to do anything unless there is another superstar who emerges," he said. "Do I think it could be Jalen Johnson? Yeah, I think so. He's had some spectacular nights but he needs to be an All-Star."
Just look at the best teams in the NBA right now. The Cavs have Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, the Celtics have Jalen Brown and Jayson Tatum, and the Knicks have Jalen Brunson and Karl Anthony-Towns.
Stars need backup and the Hawks have far too often left Trae hanging.