> \[Trae\] Young was once a part of Atlanta’s long-term plans, but mounting evidence suggested the Hawks performed better with Young sidelined. From Oct. 31 to Dec. 14, he missed 22 games because of a knee sprain, and the Hawks posted a 13-9 record without him.
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> Young returned from his knee sprain on Dec. 18 and played five games (in which Atlanta went 0-5) and last played Dec. 27 before suffering a right quadriceps contusion. The sprain, though, is not fully healed, and Washington will give Young as much time as he needs to get completely healthy. He has a $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season.