Things are not looking good for the Atlanta Hawks. The team announced on Sunday that its best player, All-Star point guard Trae Young, requires hand surgery and will be out for at least four weeks.
Young hurt his hand during the 123-121 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Friday. An MRI test showed that Young suffered a “tear of the radial collateral ligament (RCL) in the fifth finger of his left hand.” He will have surgery this week and be re-evaluated after four weeks, meaning his absence could be even longer than that.
Young has been enjoying a strong campaign in 2023-24, averaging 26.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 10.8 assists per game. He received his third All-Star nod this season, being selected to the 2024 All-Star game by Commissioner Adam Silver as an injury replacement.
With Young out for such an extended period of time, the Hawks find themselves in big trouble. After a poor start to the season, the team looked like it was poised for a strong finish and a place in the Play-In tournament. But that now seems it could be a bigger challenge than expected.
The Hawks are currently sitting at No. 10 in the Eastern Conference with a 25-32 record. They are 3.5 games ahead of the Brooklyn Nets, the first team currently out of the Play-In picture.
