Trae Young makes his first appearance in Atlanta following the trade with the Wizards.
ATLANTA — The environment felt somewhat unusual for Trae Young, who had spent the previous eight years in the more expansive home locker room at State Farm Arena.
“I’ve only been in the visiting locker room for concerts and events,” Young remarked with a laugh. “It feels odd. It’s something I’ll need to adjust to when I return here.”
Young made his return to Atlanta on Tuesday night, marking his first visit to his former home since being traded to the Washington Wizards in a significant deal last month.
He did not have the opportunity to compete against his former Hawks teammates on the court as he continues his challenging recovery from a sprained right knee and quadriceps contusion. The point guard has not played in nearly two months, and the Wizards appear to be in no hurry to have him back in action, as their primary focus seems to be securing a high draft pick for the upcoming season.
While Young expressed optimism about nearing full recovery, he also sidestepped the question when directly asked if he anticipated playing again this season.
“I’m leaving it up to the doctors,” Young stated. “Just following the plan. The plan is progressing well so far. You never know.”
Young was the face of the franchise in Atlanta, earning four All-Star Game selections and leading the Hawks on a memorable journey to the Eastern Conference finals in 2021.
However, the team never reached that level of achievement again, failing to advance past the first round of the playoffs. As a season that began with high expectations headed toward another lackluster conclusion, the Hawks decided it was time to part ways with their star player. He was traded to the Wizards in early January for CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert.
Despite the circumstances, Young maintained that there are no hard feelings. He valued his time in Atlanta, even as he looks forward to a promising future with a Wizards team that also acquired big man Anthony Davis in another significant trade before the deadline.
“I just want Hawks fans to know how much love and appreciation I have for them from day one,” Young remarked. “I came in and found a way to establish myself, making a name for my team. I aimed to put this city on the map, so people would talk about us.”
However, he acknowledged that it was time to move forward and start anew in the nation’s capital.
“When you’ve been there for so long, it kind of feels like your presence is not as welcomed anymore,” Young noted. “That’s alright, you know what I mean? That’s life, regardless of what we do. We play a sport that isn’t necessarily fair.”
He mentioned the optimism at the start of the season after the Hawks traded for Kristaps Porzingis, seemingly addressing one of their major weaknesses. However, Porzingis dealt with injuries and illness, appearing in only 17 games in Atlanta before being traded to the Golden State Warriors.
“I wasn’t healthy this year. KP was not healthy this year,” Young said. “There are many things we could have accomplished. But that’s neither here nor there. That’s in the past. Everything happens for a reason.”
Young is eager to see what he can create in Washington, especially looking forward to next season with a healthy Davis, a promising group of young players, and one of the top picks in a deep draft.
The Hawks wished Young nothing but success.
“Speaking on behalf of everyone, we are very grateful for what Trae has contributed to our team and our franchise over the years,” coach Quin Snyder stated. “We appreciate him and his family for that. We just wish him well in this next chapter of his career.”
As he looked ahead at the schedule, Young had hoped to lead his new team against his former team. That did not materialize, and Young is unlikely to play Thursday when the teams meet again in Atlanta.
“While I was doing rehab, I was obviously hoping to return and play,” Young said. “I’m in a great position right now. I wish I could play tonight, my first night here, but it wasn’t in God’s plans. However, I will be back playing here a lot in the future.”
When his new teammates took to the court for the opening tip, Young remained in a corner under the stands, using an elastic band as part of his rehabilitation.
He did, however, join the bench — at the visiting side of the court — in time for a tribute video early in the second quarter. As the crowd rose in a standing ovation, Young formed his hands into a heart shape and repeatedly mouthed “thank you.”
“That is probably the one advantage of playing right now,” he said before the game. “I can maybe express some emotions this first time and not be so emotional every time.”
