Officially forfeited against the Nuggets because of shoulder pain, Trae Young would have actually missed this game following a tough conversation with Nate McMillan the morning of the game. A look back at the latest trending drama in Georgia.
According to an article by The Athletic dating from December 4, co-signed by Shams Charania and Sam Amick, tensions are said to be building up between Hawks star Trae Young, his coach Nate McMillan and more generally within the Atlanta locker room. And if the absence of the point guard Friday against the Nuggets was, according to the team, justified by a sore shoulder, the story could actually be a little more complicated.
Sources: Hawks’ Trae Young and coach Nate McMillan had an exchange at Friday’s shootaround that led to Young choosing not to attend the team’s home win over Denver.
Details on dynamics and managing tensions around Hawks – with @sam_amick at @TheAthletic: https://t.co/pZYPMthQ70
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 4, 2022
What is it then? During the Hawks’ shootaround on Friday, while Trae Young was being treated for his shoulder pain, coach Nate McMillan reportedly approached him to ask if Young would participate in practice with the full squad. team and would be available to play the same evening against Denver. To which Trae reportedly replied that he did not want to participate in training, only to treat his shoulder and then he would decide whether he would play or not. A choice not to McMillan’s taste which, according to The Athletic always, submitted two choices to his star:
- Play off the bench missed training.
- Do not take part in the game.
The match being over, you can imagine the player’s response to his coach. No problem for the piou-piou of Atlanta, since Dejounte Murray was able to ensure the lead alongside the Georgian youth. But according to the two insiders of The Athletic, this affair proves that the relationship between Trae Young and his coach is far from being in good shape and this atmosphere does not only concern the two men. Indeed, according to some, there are permanent tensions in the locker room.
“For the Hawks, this situation represents a microcosm of the tension between Young, McMillan, and the rest of the locker room. The Hawks have already held several team meetings this season to resolve various conflicts. » Sam Amick and Shams Charania for The Athletic.
Well, let’s start by putting the situation into perspective: we are very far from the insolvent crisis that leads to the total explosion of a franchise. But obviously, this kind of case never puts the best atmosphere in a locker room. The tensions seem to be multiple after only a month and a half of regular season, and this kind of conflict is not ideal for a group with serious ambitions.
What’s more, it is perhaps necessary to remember that Trae Young is not at his first attempt when it comes to drama with the coaches. In the 2020-21 season, as the Hawks entered their third season with Ice Trae at their helm, the results were still not taking off. Then coached by Lloyd Pierce, the Falcons, who had finished in 14th place in the East with only 20 wins the previous season, already posted an ugly 14-20. The stars of Atlanta, Young the first, seemed to show real differences with their coach, and the situation had ended up in the dismissal of the latter.
If the situation were to recur today, it’s a safe bet that some eyes would be on Trae Young, accusing the young point guard of “getting his coaches fired”, an unenviable label, especially for a player of his age. . Because let’s consider the worst scenario together: small tensions evolve into an unmanageable crisis, and Nate McMillan ends up being thanked by the Georgian front office. Which coach, given the course of the last in Atlanta, will want to take the risk of tainting his career by suffering the same fate as his predecessors? With this in mind, it is much better, even for Young, to try to reconnect with his coach and return to a relationship of trust.
Because if the leadership of Trae Young – if only by his contribution to scoring and playmaking – seems rather obvious on the ground (although the shooter often displays a lack of involvement in defense), it would seem that this one be less glaring in the Atlanta locker room.
However, the questioning of Ice Trae’s leadership could certainly disrupt the Hawks’ season. The Falcons have clearly displayed their ambitions during the offseason by bringing Dejounte Murray from San Antonio in particular. So far, the duo of the two leaders is working, the two playmakers constantly taking over from each other to ensure a big performance on the outside lines and a very satisfactory record for Atlanta: 13 wins for 10 defeats, and a place among the top 4 in the Eastern Conference. Moreover, the front office de Magic City of Atlanta is doing everything to further optimize the franchise’s results, rumored to be working on a trade around John Collins, now injured.
But there you have it: the stories behind the scenes aren’t always as rosy as they appear on the front stage, and if tensions turn out to be more serious, the Hawks’ season could be in jeopardy. and the reputation of their star with. Trae Young doesn’t seem to get carried away with the rumors circulating around him, as his latest Tweet shows:
Waking up to public statements about my private life????????
— Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) December 5, 2022
This story will have had the merit of shining the spotlight on Atlanta, which should find its leader tonight for the reception of the Thunder. It will be necessary to ensure for Trae and his hawks to start again on a positive dynamic, and on our side we will try to monitor the situation carefully. But for now, don’t panic on board, fun and victory first.
Source : The Athletic