Trae Young expected back Thursday against Hornets
trae-young-expected-back-thursday-against-hornets
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young is on track to play Thursday night against the Charlotte Hornets, ending a 22-game absence caused by a sprained right MCL, according to sources cited by ESPN.
Young, 25, has been sidelined since injuring the knee on Oct. 29 during a road win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Hawks managed a 13-9 record without their All-Star floor general and enter Thursday at 15-12 overall despite a series of other injuries.
The reigning NBA assists leader is averaging 17.8 points and 7.8 assists across eight games this season. He was moved to “probable” status after completing a full practice Wednesday, one day after scrimmaging with the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate.
“It’s my knee, something that had to take a little more time than some other injuries,” Young told reporters Wednesday. “I feel good. [Conditioning is] going to get better as you play. They wouldn’t even allow me to come back or even be close to coming back if my conditioning wasn’t right or close to it.”
While recovering, Young said he studied how the Hawks operated in his absence. “I see certain things that our team is doing really good that I want to keep allowing our team to do,” he said. “But then there are times when we are struggling or times when it looks kind of tough on guys, and I want to make it easier for them.”
Young added that he plans to reintegrate without disrupting the team’s recent success. “From Day 1, I’ve always felt I was a puzzle piece to the big puzzle. I never felt like I was the whole puzzle. I’m about to come back and do the same thing, just be another piece to the puzzle and try to fit in.”
Source: ESPN
