Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young confirmed that he’s suffered a quad injury in the preseason, saying “it’s good” but that “it’s a little sore, for sure” (h/t Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution).
McMillan relayed to reporters that Young was held out of practice on Tuesday due to swelling.
Although the Hawks now have enough talent to survive brief periods without their superstar-in-the-making, any length of time without the playmaking savant on the court handicaps a team that’s now being taken seriously in the public eye after Nate McMillan’s takeover as head coach.
That being said, McMillan plans to be cautious with Young’s rehabilitation, and understandably so.
Spencer also reports that Atlanta is considering sitting Young for the Hawks’ preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, after Young sustained a right knee contusion while playing against the Miami Heat in their 2021-22 preseason opener.
With the unprecedented number of injuries in the 2020-21 season seeming to be a byproduct of a short offseason turnaround, it’ll be worth monitoring the notoriously hard-working Young’s quad pain persists. Particularly with the high usage role that he has for an Atlanta team looking to return to the playoffs in a tougher Eastern Conference.
