Your email address will not be published. 14 Villanova to Upset Win vs. No. If Young and the Hawks expect to be playing meaningful games at this point next season, they'll need to get a lot better on both ends of the floor. In the Hawks’ 129-117 win over Portland, Trae Young scored 25 points, making Trevor Ariza the latest victim of a leg-splitting nutmeg. Bjorkgren: Pacers will be a fun team to watch, Sorry, Kentucky, the Raptors probably aren’t playing in Louisville next season, What our NBA experts like and don’t like about a Christmas start. While other NBA teams featuring young phenoms are currently busy writing exciting new postseason chapters, the Hawks are struggling with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-him-on-defense. Looking at the data, the best two offenses in the NBA are the Dallas Mavericks and whichever team is playing against Young and the Hawks. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. When Young is on the court, Hawks opponents are also pouring in 116.1 per 100. The Hawks struggle with every phase of the game, but their defensive awakening has to start with Young. These cookies do not store any personal information. He's not bulky enough to rebound. 8 Seton Hall, Atlanta Hawks' Offense disappears in Loss to Memphis: Player Grades, Atlanta Hawks Handle Back-to-Back With Two Wins For First Time This Season, Atlanta Hawks Among NBA's Best Home Teams in 2020. A post shared by Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) on Mar 2, 2020 at 9:32am PST. The short list of emerging basketball superstars age 22 and under includes Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum and Trae Young. He makes just 36% of his attempts, but when you consider the volume and difficulty of his shots, that number looks more impressive -- 77% of his 3-point tries are unassisted and his average 3-point shot distance this year is over 28 feet. Other publicly facing metrics like defensive real plus-minus concur, with Young ranking 493rd out of 495 players. The short list of emerging basketball superstars age 22 and under includes Luka Doncic, Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum and Trae Young. Building a playoff team around Young is both an alluring and confounding architectural challenge. He has no room for error, yet his effort doesn't reflect that reality. The Hawks are an atrocious 19-44, ranking 24th in offensive efficiency and 28th in defensive efficiency. This amount is subject to change until you make payment. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 17: Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks dribbles the ball while being guarded by Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls in the first quarter during a preseason game at the United Center on October 17, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. For additional information, see the Global Shipping Program, This amount includes applicable customs duties, taxes, brokerage and other fees. Other times he’s forced to act as the last line of defense because he’s the last man back, and there’s nothing he can do given his size. Young is 6-1 and 180 pounds -- one of the slightest rotation players in the league -- and it's that primitive limitation that hurts him the most on defense. Then you also need a fleet of defensive talent to compensate for his tremendous limitations. On one hand, you have to surround him with off-ball offensive threats that open the floor. That's an issue. Other offers may also be available. When he misses one of those go-to deep 3s, too often he takes it easy on the other end. That’s encouraging, especially considering Young leads the NBA in turnovers and his supporting cast is among the least experienced in the league. ... Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum and Trae Young. That's an issue. It seems Trae Young has a signature move, if he didn’t already with his 35-footers. In a league obsessed with pick-and-rolls, Young is simply not big enough or strong enough to fight through screens, and it shows up in the numbers. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Other teams turn Young's missed 3s into points at freakishly high rates. Atlanta Hawks’ Offense disappears in Loss to Memphis: Player Grades, Best, Worst Atlanta Hawks 5-Man Rotations This Season, Saddiq Bey Leads Balanced No. He has no room for error, yet his effort doesn't reflect that reality. And just as Atlanta's offensive on/off numbers reveal how important Young is on that end of the floor, the team's defensive numbers have an opposite plotline. The Hawks' defense is their biggest problem, and Young is a major component of that issue. Other teams turn Young’s missed 3s into points at freakishly high rates. Imagine if he had better teammates. While they do make the highlight rounds on Twitter and SportsCenter, they weren’t especially note-worthy until last weekend. At first glance, his 3-point shooting efficiency is modest. Other teams turn Young's missed 3s into points at freakishly high rates. Please enter 5 or 9 numbers for the ZIP Code. Size Large 100% Guaranteed Authentic Signature … Minimum monthly payments are required. Ricky Rubio, J.J. Redick, RJ Barrett, James Harden, Will Barton and even LeBron James have all been on the wrong side of one before Ariza, and there will likely be more added to that list soon. Excludes: Angola, Cameroon, Cambodia, Cayman Islands, Djibouti, French Polynesia, Honduras, Libya, Mongolia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Suriname, Guyana, Panama, Mauritius, Somalia, Brunei Darussalam, Chad, Madagascar, New Caledonia, Western Samoa, Bahamas, Bermuda, Iran, Jamaica, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Western Sahara, Wallis and Futuna, Nepal, Bolivia, Mali, Fiji, Gambia, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Congo, Republic of the, Seychelles, Sudan, Guadeloupe, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Burma, Antigua and Barbuda, Burundi, Cuba, Republic of, Congo, Democratic Republic of the, Kiribati, Reunion, Yemen, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Ghana, Grenada, Haiti, Liberia, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Comoros, Martinique, Tuvalu, Dominica, Lebanon, Niger. On one hand, you have to surround him with off-ball offensive threats that open the floor. Select PayPal Credit at checkout to have the option to pay over time. Folks, the league average offensive efficiency following a missed 3 is 112. The Hawks are an atrocious 19-44, ranking 24th in offensive efficiency and 28th in defensive efficiency. From deep threes to flashy dimes to lethal floaters, there’s a lot of distinguishing factors that make Trae Young‘s game so tantalizing. Imagine if he had better teammates. One night you're tasked with stopping Chris Paul, the next night you might have Kemba Walker, Damian Lillard or Kyle Lowry dying to make you look bad. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. No additional import charges at delivery! In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. When Young is on the court, the Hawks score at league-average rates, putting up 111 points per 100, and that number surges up to 115 on possessions that begin with Young bringing up the ball. In other words, the Hawks play historically bad defense after their best player misses his signature shot. Then you also need a fleet of defensive talent to compensate for his tremendous limitations. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Paul (6-foot-1) and Dennis Schroder (6-1) all weigh 180 pounds or less, and when that trio is on the floor, OKC outscores opponents by 29.6 points per 100 possessions. Just look at the Oklahoma City Thunder, whose three main guards are all relatively small. A post shared by Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry) on Mar 2, 2020 at 9:32am PST. His offensive stats are ridiculous, and they're a boon for any team-building process looking forward into a decade where 3s will only become more central. The current Hawks roster doesn’t do either. Passing the ball through the legs of defenders happens most as an accident, but a few great ball-handlers have used the space to their advantage. Among the 79 players with at least 600 such plays, he allows the sixth-most points per chance leaguewide when defending ball handlers in pick-and-roll, per Second Spectrum. This item will be shipped through the Global Shipping Program and includes international tracking. On the ensuing possessions, as those defenses turn into offenses, they rack up a wild 127 points per 100 possessions, according to Second Spectrum tracking data. Fair or not, Young is the culture driver in Atlanta, and right now that story lacks a consistent character, especially on defense. Young's offensive stats are ridiculous, but there's more going on here. The future of the NBA is bright. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. He lacks the body to contain larger NBA guards. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Oof. Among the 79 players with at least 600 such plays, he allows the sixth-most points per chance leaguewide when defending ball handlers in pick-and-roll, per Second Spectrum. How do the 2020 Lakers compare to other recent champions? That's not good news for a front office charged with building a playoff team around him. When Young is on the court, the Hawks score at league-average rates, putting up 111 points per 100, and that number surges up to 115 on possessions that begin with Young bringing up the ball. Listen. • Size Large • 100% Guaranteed Authentic Signature •Beckett Certified Sticker and Card Included At this point it’s fair to question whether he can ever play satisfactory defense in the NBA. Part of this is youth -- young players struggle to play great defense, and young point guards are thrown right into the front lines, guarding the best playmakers on the planet at the point of attack. The body-check ended up being being a flagrant, with Young getting points either way. While other NBA teams featuring young phenoms are currently busy writing exciting new postseason chapters, the Hawks are struggling with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde-him-on-defense. The people with all the power in NBA free agency, What our NBA experts like and don't like about a pre-Christmas start, Best and worst cases for the Warriors, the Knicks and the teams we haven't seen since March, NBA free agency and trade debate: How the Pelicans help Zion, and bold predictions, NBA Power Rankings: Russell Westbrook and the Rockets rise, climb the standings in the West, A post shared by Kirk Goldsberry (@kirkgoldsberry), with Young ranking 493rd out of 495 players, young point guards are thrown right into the front lines, guarding the best playmakers on the planet at the point of attack, whose three main guards are all relatively small. When he's on the court he has the power to transform a hideous offense into an average one. The Hawks are an atrocious 19-44, ranking 24th in offensive efficiency and 28th in defensive efficiency.