It's become borderline impossible to deny: the Atlanta Hawks are simply a better team without Trae Young. That statement would have seemed positively laughable and a total impossibility a few years ago, and now it's become the reality in Atlanta.
We're seeing that the Hawks' defensive output improves massively when Young is off the floor. And although their offensive versatility isn't quite the same without him, it's still been good enough to produce winning basketball. Atlanta holds just a 2-8 record when Trae suits up this season, and a 13-11 record when he doesn't play.
It's obvious why the trade rumors are only growing louder, and why the idea of Young at some point leaving Atlanta feels inevitable at this point.