If it wasn’t obvious before, Trae Young made sure everyone knows now: The league is overflowing with young talent that is ready to lead their team in the playoffs. It’s exciting to see how many players still on their rookie contracts have become obvious franchise cornerstones.
The NBA seems like it’s in good hands, talent-wise, which is reassuring. It’s also shifting towards having to build around these stars immediately or face internal turmoil. It was the case last summer, when reports came out that Young was unhappy and wanted more help. We are seeing it now, as the Mavericks, have cleaned house in part because the old guard didn’t build a good enough team around Luka Doncic.