A native of Norman, Oklahoma who played his college ball for the Sooners, Trae Young has some affinity for the local NBA team. However, while the Hawks guard will be rooting for the Thunder in the NBA Finals, he tells Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that seeing Oklahoma City make a serious run at a title really just makes him more determined to take his own team to those same heights.
“It’s even more motivating for me,” Young said on Wednesday at a sponsor event. “I want to win a championship bad. But the fact that it’s in my city and I’m just watching it now, if you thought I wanted it bad before, it’s even worse now. … Hopefully we’re here playing the Thunder next year, and I’m not having this (event) here in OKC. So, we have this party there in Atlanta. I love Atlanta.”
The Hawks have missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons and haven’t won more than 43 games in a season since Young was drafted in 2018, but the star guard remains optimistic about the franchise’s direction.
“We had the No. 1 pick (Zaccharie Risacher) last year that made strides and almost won Rookie of the Year, got second,” Young said. “We have a lot of young, young, really good players. We have a great coach. We have a lot of stuff, and we have a big summer ahead, for sure.”
We have more from around the Southeast:
- Dylan Cardwell (Auburn), Steven Crowl (Wisconsin), Chucky Hepburn (Louisville), and Jalon Moore (Oklahoma) visited the Hornets for a pre-draft workout earlier this week, while Obinna Anochili-Killen (Marshall), Eric Dixon (Villanova), Kobe Johnson (UCLA), and Julian Reese (Maryland) auditioned for the team on Thursday, reports Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter links). Charlotte controls the fourth, 33rd, and 34th overall picks in this year’s draft. Among those prospects, Dixon is the highest-rated on ESPN’s big board at No. 45.
- Keith Smith of Spotrac and Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) both previewed the Magic‘s offseason this week, discussing Paolo Banchero‘s upcoming rookie scale extension, looking at Orlando’s rising payroll, and considering how the team might use its multiple first-round picks (No. 16 and No. 25) in this year’s draft.
- Although he played limited minutes in just 16 NBA games as a rookie in 2024/25, Heat forward Keshad Johnson feels he has “grown mentally” since entering the league, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “I’ve learned a lot about basketball, Xs and Os,” said Johnson, who played well for the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League. “Just being in the NBA, at first it started off fast. But it started to slow down as time got going. Just getting comfortable. Skill-wise, I feel like the mental aspect of learning cheat codes and things like that.” The Heat hold a minimum-salary team option on Johnson for the 2025/26 season and must exercise or decline that option by June 29.
Obinna Anochili-Killen and Cardwell are shot blocking specialists, Hepburn can steal it and Dixon led the NCAA in scoring. They could be deep bench looks
Trae Young needs to spend an offseason or two with Jrue Holiday or Tony Allen or somebody and figure out how to be a valuable defender if he wants to lead his team to a championship. I feel like this is not a controversial opinion haha
Hornets….
Ja and Clarke for Melo, Jusif Nurkic and pick 33
At 4 draft Tre Johnson who is a lights out shooter
Ja Johnson Miller Bridges Williams
Mann Green/Okogie Williams Clarke
Ja gives this team a real deal all nba level player, Melo although probably more talented is too often injured, not a leader and not a winner.
Miller has got the ideal skillset to be that co star if he continues his same trajectory, 20+ points per game 3 and D wing just like a Paul George.
Ja finally gets an athletic centre to work off in pick and rolls and as a lob threat in Mark Williams who the Lakers wanted to pair with Luka.
Bridges is a decent enough 3rd option for now and helps the spacing.
Tre would be a great backcourt partner, just a super efficient shooter that’ll then have time to develop a handle and feel for the NBA.
Good enough backs ups with Mann a ball handling guard, Green/Okogie for defence, Williams 3 and D combo forward and Clarke another athletic big, happy at both the 4 and 5 spots.
For the grizzlies, Ja has been having issues off the floor. You’ve got a win now team with Bane and JJJ. Melo needs to stay healthy but on the court has all the tools to be an elite playmaker, while averaging over 20 with ease and helps collect boards. He’s a better shooter than Ja and with Bane and JJJ you’d give teams real problems from deep. Nurkic on an expring helps Edey at the 5 spot. He’s also got abit of a 3 ball on him. It would allow you to give more minutes to GG at the 3 with the additional spacing.
I’d bring back Scottie Pippen Jr as an insurance policy and Santi Aldama as another stretch big option. While Bagley and Kennard can go.
You’ve still got Wells, Vinny Williams, Konchar and Huff for depth.
Melo Bane GG JJJ Nurkic
Pippen Wells Konchar/Williams Aldama Edey
This is a win win trade, similar to the Hali/Sabonis trade. Would love to see happen for both sides