The Atlanta Hawks had one of the best offseasons in the summer of 2025. They made some notable moves, including trading Kristaps Porzingis and signing nickel Alexander Walker. Trae Young is their star player, but they will be without him next month.
Ahead of the 2025-26 season, the Atlanta Hawks have been named one of the most exciting teams in the Eastern Conference. With most people watching the gap year of the Boston Celtics and the injury woes of the Indiana Pacers, they had all the means to break into the upper echelons of the East.
Most people expected either the Hawks or the Orlando Magic to be some of the best representatives in the East. Unfortunately, the Hawks haven’t been able to get off to a strong start. Things got even worse when star guard Trae Young sprained his MCL.
The elite playmaker will be reevaluated in December, so he will be out for at least the next month. This will leave the Hawks without their primary playmaker, leaving the offense in the hands of Jalen Johnson, who will have a dependable role.
Young sprained his knee during a game against the Brooklyn Nets on October 29. Thankfully for Hawks fans, the team was able to win that game with a balanced team performance. Nickell Alexander-Walker played as Atlanta’s point guard during that game and the win over the Indiana Pacers.
Now, everyone in the organization has to get used to Alexander Walker playing point guard and sharing ball-handling duties with Dyson Daniels. Although they are primarily known for their abilities as defenders, they will take on more responsibility on the offensive side of the game.
It will be difficult to replace Young’s production, but these guys could help improve the team and make Young a better teammate when he returns sometime in December. The injury was initially described as a knee sprain, but the latest report became more specific by indicating that Young had sprained his MCL and that it would be approximately four weeks before he would be re-evaluated.
This is the best-case scenario for Young, who avoided major injuries such as a torn ACL. From now on, he will only have to rest for one month, after which he can return to play with the team. However, this could be a tough stretch for the Hawks, especially since the offensive line is essentially built around him.
Alexander Walker and Daniels will likely handle ball-handling duties, but Johnson will likely get some reps as well. As for the backup guard spot, Luke Kennard will remain off the bench as a spot-up shooter, but Keaton Wallace could also step up and become one of the most important guards on the roster.
Most Hawks fans are prepared to see the Hawks’ vibrant offense diminish as Young’s playmaker talent disappears. Head coach Quin Snyder has to do his best to give his team good direction and set the team up properly.
It won’t be an easy month for the Hawks, but they’re ready to continue competing and playing at the highest level. This is going to be a tough situation, especially in an NBA Cup game. Thankfully, they dominated the Pacers in the first cup game, but they will have even more difficult games in the group stage.
Moving forward, Snyder must do his best to keep the team stable and implement the biggest changes starting in the 2025 offseason. Thanks to his coaching, the Hawks can continue to play consistently well, so Young won’t have to do the heavy lifting when he returns in December.