After an extended stint on the sideline due to a knee injury that cost him 22 games, Atlanta Hawks star guard Trae Young is set to return to action against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night.
Young’s last appearance came way back on Oct. 29 in a game against the Brooklyn Nets. He played just seven minutes in the game before exiting with the injury. On the season, he’s appeared in just five games and posted averages of 17.8 points, 7.8 assists and 2.0 rebounds per performance.
Trae Young to return for Hawks vs. Hornets
Despite Young’s extended absence, the Hawks have fared relatively well this season. They currently sit seventh in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 15-12. Their promising play without their star guard has led to some speculation about his future in Atlanta. Young was recently named the player most likely to be traded by the Hawks.
But, that doesn’t mean any sort of move involving Young is imminent. In fact, there might be no move at all. ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported that the Hawks believe that Young’s fit with the team’s upstart young core will help to elevate the team in the Eastern Conference.
Young’s stay on the sideline afforded him an opportunity to observe the team and asses how he could be a complementary piece of the puzzle.
"I see certain things that our team is doing really good that I want to keep allowing our team to do," Young said. "But then there are times when we are struggling or times when it looks kind of tough on guys, and I want to make it easier for them.
"For me since Day 1, I've always felt I was a puzzle piece to the big puzzle. I never felt like I was the whole puzzle. I'm about to come back and do the same thing, just be another piece to the puzzle and try to fit in."
It will be very interesting to see how Young is able to integrate back with the team. If things go well, any lingering trade chatter will likely cease. However, if he struggles to fit in, such chatter will only grow louder leading up to the deadline in February.