Triple Option

By Michael Maynard

I have established myself both at Voyager and on Twitter as one of the biggest Trae Young stans in the NBA realm.  We have about a ten game sample size where I can officially release a statement documenting the star rookie’s progress.

With 30.8 MPG in 11 games, Young has 18.6 PPG, 8.1 assists per game while shooting 42% from the field and 27% on threes. Alright, alright, yes, ok, yikes.

The 18.2 PPG is second behind Luka Doncic’s 20.2, but Young has 4 more assists per game in 4 fewer minutes so let’s not judge that trade yet.  Also, Young is one of only three rookies in the last 20 seasons with 35+ points and 10+ assists (Bleacher Report).  The other two are LeBron James and Stephen Curry.  That said, Trae Young was expected to come out with Curry-esque shooting numbers, and 27% isn’t going to cut it.

So considering those poor shooting numbers, it’s remarkable Young’s been able put up these numbers so far, and it’s a testament to his all around game.  Despite getting labeled strictly as a shooter coming out of college, Young has displayed his remarkable passing skills and that contrary to popular belief he can actually get to and finish and the rim.  Which are all stills necessary for a modern point guard.

One note to get my college basketball analysis in.  If you got sick of the Steph Curry comparisons last year just wait until Kellan Grady gets on the national radar as he literally goes to the same school as Curry.  Which in all fairness Grady is ridiculous and Davidson is going to be really good, I just hope the media doesn’t ruin him like they did with Trae.

Now are Young’s gaudy numbers inflated by the fact that the Hawks are a very bad team?  Yes of course.  But that was expected; the Hawks are in a long-term rebuilding process, and Young is just one of the pieces.  They will not win many games this year (3-8), so why not develop the rookie.  Very rarely do rookies contribute at the level of playoff contention last year with Ben Simmons, Donovan Mitchell, and Jayson Tatum–let alone three rookies.  Most of the time it’s rookies who put up big numbers for bad teams.  See Michael Carter-Williams wining in the same class of Giannis, Oladipo, and McCollum.  That doesn’t help my case at all but yes that actually happened.

Anyway, the Hawks actually have some really good pieces.  Taurean Prince is not going to be a top guy on a championship team, but like Young he’s getting a lot of development opportunities, and could be a #3 once the Hawks get good.  Kent Bazemore is underrated; he’s solid defensively, yet not one-dimensional, as he is competent offensively.  Atlanta could probably get a decent haul similar to the Niko Mirotic package if they desired to move him.  Kevin Huerter’s a nice modern wing who can space the floor with good outside shooting.  John Collins flashed a ton of upside last year and should impact the team upon returning from injury, as well as help Young’s growth with a versatile big man to run the pick-and-roll.  Jeremy Lin needs to be traded for his own good; there’s no good for him in Atlanta, he needs to be play for a contender, which should happen.  Still, aside from Young, that’s a pretty meh basketball team at present.

Here might be the difference in the Hawks rebuild.  And it’s a pretty electric name.  Zion Williamson.  Now this is a Trae Young article not a college basketball article, and I’ll have plenty to say about Duke once I see them play games against not Kentucky in the first game on the biggest stage, and then I’ll judge.  But however you slice it, Zion Williamson is a must-watch basketball player.

Fit wise, I don’t know how Zion fits into the modern NBA game.  He resembles Jabari Parker as a freakish athlete that dominated the college game, but hasn’t found a traditional role.  Given that Parker has had injury problems, played on the same team with Giannis at his position, and has voiced his displeasure in playing defense, he’s faced his share of problems. I imagine with Zion the Hawks could play Collins at the 5 with Williamson playing some sort of stretch 4 with Young, Prince and one other wing of Bazemore/Huerter/fill in the blank.  If Collins can develop his outside game with his already skilled post game, that opens up an exciting array of directions for Head Coach Lloyd Pierce to take the offense.  With of course, Trae Young at the forefront.

I do have one critical observation of Young.  Trae has been quite active on Twitter in pushing the “not going to be a bust” narrative.  It’s great he’s motivated by the haters, but his primary goal should not to be to not be a bust, but rather to be an elite point guard.  Which I think he knows, but I’d rather see him lower the social media presence and let me do the job of promoting him instead.

I also don’t love that “Ice Trae” became a thing without me signing off on it, but I’ll let it slide in that nicknames bring attention and I don’t have anything better at the moment.  It’s somewhere between Showtime Mahomes and the Slim Reaper.

The Trae Young effect is real.  This is a basketball franchise that struggled with attendance even in a historic 60-win season.  Love or hate him, Trae Young brings national attention to a franchise that otherwise wouldn’t get it. Trae Young is a player I would without a doubt pay to see play, and I hope I can when they come to Chicago.  I’ve already established my association to the Trae Young wagon.  Bring it on #NBATwitter.

Published 11/7/2018 at 9:57 C.T. PM

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