A few days ago, Trae Young’s night ended earlier than anyone expected. Midway through an early-season matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, the Atlanta Hawks star crumpled to the floor as he clutched his right knee, and fans held their breath. Trainers helped him off the court, but the team didn’t release any further updates. Tonight, a new update about his condition has been revealed.

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, “Trae Young sustained  a sprained MCL in his right knee and will be re-evaluated in four weeks.” The update brought relief in one breath and caution in the next, since Charania confirmed that multiple doctors had cleared him of major structural damage.

Trae Young barely lasted ten minutes in the game before walking out due to a knee injury. Nets forward Noah Clowney bumped into Atlanta forward Mouhamed Gueye, causing Gueye to accidentally collide with Young. The injury initially raised some concern, and the inward bend of his knee observed was consistent with the later diagnosis of an MCL sprain.

Before the setback, Young had been slowly getting back into form. The former All-Star had just posted 21 points with 17 assists in the team’s previous matchup against the Chicago Bulls, and was averaging 20.8 points and 9.5 assists. His pace, creativity, and vision are what make him the center of the Hawks’ offense, and now, they’re going to have to find ways to keep themselves afloat without him.

The Hawks had shared that Young will miss at least a month due to injury, likely jeopardizing his chances of winning season-ending awards due to the NBA’s minimum eligibility rule. The league requires players to appear in at least 65 games to be eligible to be voted into the All-NBA teams, and for someone who’s been a regular snub, this is another unfortunate hurdle.

Who Can Step Up for the Atlanta Hawks Without Trae Young?

While no one can fully replicate floor general Trae Young’s ability to blend scoring and playmaking, several Hawks players have expanded their roles and stepped up. Forward Jalen Johnson has become the leader of the offense in Trae’s absence. The 23-year-old has taken on lead playmaking duties, using his elite mixture of size and speed to collapse defenses and set up his teammates in open passing lanes.

In their last win over the Indiana Pacers, Johnson stuffed the stat sheet with 22 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and a block, showing off his versatility. He dictated pace, initiated fast breaks, and played confidently, which has clearly impressed head coach Quin Snyder.

In the backcourt, Dyson Daniels and Nickeil Alexander-Walker have played hard-nosed defense and been stable on offense. Daniels, who finished last year as a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year, contributed with an all-around performance, posting 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Alexander-Walker has also been moved up from his bench role, and is capable of knocking down open looks, defending multiple players, and handling defensive pressure – all traits that balance the offense in the absence of the USG%-heavy playing style of Trae Young.

Finally, there’s the sophomore #1 overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher, who’s quickly becoming an integral part of Atlanta’s spacing. His propensity to make quick reads and hit threes from everywhere on the floor keeps defenses honest. In their first full game without Young, the Hawks notched 30 assists, a sign that the balanced offensive ecosystem is key to surviving this stretch without their lead ball handler.

We at Essentially Sports wish Young a speedy recovery. Will Young’s injury prove to be too costly for the Hawks?