Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young is garnering reactions from fans online as he returned to his starting floor general role after a significant absence. On Thursday, Dec. 18, coach Quin Snyder’s 2025-26 Hawks took on coach Charles Lee’s Hornets at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.
What made the game different was the fact that Young returned after a couple of months. On Oct. 29, at the start of this season, Young went out with a sprained MCL. Without his services, Atlanta has gone on a 12-9 win-loss record since then.
“Trae Young, out since Oct. 29 with a sprained MCL, will make his RETURN tonight vs. the Hornets 👀 (Via Shams),” @basketballforver on Instagram captioned with an emoji.
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Fans were curious to see how Young will be reinserted into the Hawks’ rotation, given that the team has held its own even without his All-Star facilitating prowess.
“Let’s see what heppens…If they lose today, I think Trae is on his way out the door,” one fan commented.
“I’m actually curious to see how they look further now. They’ve been playing good without him,” another fan shared.
“It’s over with for the East now,” another user said.
“Let’s gooo finally,” a fan posted.
Other users predicted a split between Young and the Hawks franchise.
“Hawks don’t need him,” one user claimed.
“Better without him,” another user wrote.
“TRADE HIM ‼️,” a user exclaimed with an emoji.
Young is in his eighth season in the NBA and has spent all of his years with the Hawks. Selected fifth overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2018 NBA Draft and then immediately traded to Atlanta, Young’s best run with the team came in 2021. That year, the Hawks went all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, which is presumably one of their goals this year.
Atlanta Hawks Succumbed To Charlotte Hornets In Trae Young’s Return
Unfortunately for Trae Young and the rest of the Atlanta Hawks faithful, they lost to the Charlotte Hornets by seven points, 133-126, on Thursday.
Young posted a stat line of eight points, one rebound, 10 assists, and a steal in 20 minutes of action on his return. The Hawks now possess an overall record of 15-13.
Read More: Anthony Edwards, Trae Young, and More Take The Sideline as Georgia vs Alabama Showdown Draws In Biggest Stars
Also Read: Who is Trae Young’s Wife? Meet Shelby Miller, the Woman Behind the Oklahoma’s Assistant General Manager
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