The NBA has seen quite a lot of drama in just a span of two years. First off, we saw how sour the relationship went with Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers. Then James Harden and the Brooklyn Nets had some differences which resulted in a trade for Ben Simmons. And, recently, everything about Kyrie Irving (antisemitic controversies and more).
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Now, there’s a new feud being sparked between Atlanta Hawks’ star player and head coach. There have been numerous reports that the relationship between all-star point guard Trae Young and coach Nate McMillan has gone sour. With tensions rising in the Hawks’ locker room, there is no saying if the two could still co-exist in the team. With this misunderstanding, only two questions would come to mind – What caused this feud? And, if Trae imposes an “It’s me or him” ultimatum, who will the Hawks choose?
What caused the tension between Trae Young and Nate McMillan
According to a report by NBA inside Shams Charania (via The Athletic), tensions rose between the superstar point guard and the team’s coach when Young opted to not join the shootaround last Friday prior to their game against Denver because of his shoulder injury. McMillan wanted him to join the practice and be treated during the walk-through, but Trae resisted and wants his injury to be treated right away. Because of this, McMillan gave him the option to come off the bench or completely miss the game, which Young chose the latter. The team later listed him as “inactive” due to soreness. It even gets odd as Young also did not attend their home game even just sitting on the sidelines.
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It was all good until the details of their conflict went public, which, in exchange made Young disappointed.
“Like I said, it’s a private matter,” he said. “Again, made public, which is unfortunate. And if it was to stay private, it probably wouldn’t have been as big of a deal. But like I said, it’s unfortunate and my job and my goal is to win championships. And that’s what I focus on.”
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“It’s me or him” – who would the Atlanta Hawks front office choose if it ever comes to this point
According to various sources, there is already a strain in Nate and Trae’s partnership. If ever the Hawks are left with nothing but to choose between the two, it’s obvious they would be choosing their superstar player over their current head coach.
Hopefully, this does not escalate to that kind of situation. Though they aren’t playing perfectly, the Hawks are doing well and are currently fourth in the East. Additionally, Trae is still playing like an All-Star but he is averaging career lows in field goal and three-point percentages. Fortunately, Young re-joined the team last Sunday and played their matchup against Oklahoma City Thunder (Monday) and New York Knicks (Wednesday).
What do you think of this latest NBA drama? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For more content, stay with us, here at Spiel Times.
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