Trae Young and the Atlanta Hawks came into Saturday night’s matchup looking to close out their mini-series against the Pacers. Despite being listed on the injury report with Achilles tendinitis, all signs pointed to him suiting up. Thursday’s showdown between the Hawks and Pacers ended with Atlanta grabbing a hard-fought six-point win. And let’s be real—Trae Young was the engine that kept them rolling. He was dropping dimes left and right, racking up 16 assists while also putting 22 points on the board.

With the game in full swing, disaster struck for the Hawks late in the third quarter. Trae hit the floor after colliding with Quenton Jackson, grabbing at his left leg. For a moment, he couldn’t get up, and when he finally did, he wasted no time heading straight to the locker room.

Atlanta losing Ice Trae at this stage? That’s a nightmare scenario. He had been running the show, torching the Pacers with 26 points in just 22 minutes. His efficiency was on point—9-of-16 from the field, 3-of-8 from deep, and a flawless 5-of-5 at the line. He also dished out five assists and grabbed two rebounds before his sudden exit.

Young gave Hawks fans a scare when he headed to the locker room, but he’s already back on the court in the fourth quarter against the Pacers. His exit was brief, but it shook things up enough for Keaton Wallace—who hasn’t been in the rotation lately—to get some unexpected minutes.

Atlanta had control heading into the final stretch, holding a 95-88 lead at the end of the third. The team later announced Young is dealing with a left quad contusion, but clearly, that’s not stopping him from getting back in the action. But his presence alone won’t fix Atlanta’s bigger problems. The team is sitting five games below .500 and locked in at the No. 8 seed, looking like a Play-In Tournament team yet again.

The Hawks look to rope in a star to keep Trae Young in Atlanta

Since leading the Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, Young hasn’t been able to guide them past the first round. Last season, they didn’t even survive the Play-In, and if things don’t change, history could repeat itself. If frustration builds, the front office may have to shake things up to keep him satisfied.

One possibility? Fadeaway World predicts Atlanta could pursue a blockbuster trade for Domantas Sabonis in the offseason. In this scenario, the Hawks would receive Sabonis, while the Sacramento Kings would land Clint Capela in a sign-and-trade deal, along with Zaccharie Risacher, Georges Niang, and two future first-round picks in 2029 and 2030.

Sabonis, originally drafted 11th overall by the Magic in 2016, was traded to OKC with Victor Oladipo for Serge Ibaka. After a season with the Thunder, he and Oladipo were sent to Indiana for Paul George—a trade that indirectly led to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander landing in Oklahoma City when George was later moved to the Clippers.

With reports from The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Anthony Slater stating that Sabonis plans to evaluate the Kings’ long-term direction after 2025, his future in Sacramento remains uncertain. A move to Atlanta would create an exciting duo, with Young stretching the floor as a deep-threat shooter while Sabonis dominates inside and facilitates from the post. If the Hawks want to take the next step, this could be the kind of bold move they need.