After the end of another championship-less season, Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young answered questions this morning about the team and his future in it.
During a press conference this morning, Young answered a question from WSB-TV sports reporter Alison Mastrangelo about whether he wanted to remain with the team after six consecutive seasons without a championship.
“Obviously I want to be here,” said Young. “But I want to win too…I want to be here. I want to win championships here…That’s been me from the beginning.”
Mastrangelo followed up with a question on if he thought he could win with the Hawks or another team, He responded: “I believe it can be here…we gotta make it happen.”
Here’s my full question & follow up with Trae Young when I asked him if he wants to be in Atlanta next year & if he thinks he can win here. #truetoatlanta #NBA pic.twitter.com/9OfbvfMFkW
— Alison Mastrangelo (@AlisonWSB) April 19, 2024
Young said he knows the focus is to win a championship, something that has eluded the Hawks in the past few years. He also answered a question about his leadership of the team as the most popular member on the Hawks roster.
“People don’t understand like I don’t mind,” he said. “People might think that I have to be the best player on a team or the first option. ‘I’m not that way, have never been that way. I’m just trying to get everybody involved to win the game. I know when we win, everybody eats, so that’s been my motto.”
Speculation has been rampant about Young’s future with the Hawks. Numerous observers have stated the Hawks are likely to deal away Young and/or Dejounte Murray to another team in the offseason. There has been no credible news of a team showing interest in either player.
The Hawks season ended after being defeated by the Chicago Bulls in an NBA play-in tournament game Wednesday.
Young has three years left in his five-year $215 million contract. He has an early termination clause in 2027.