Trae Young Says He Never Had a Teammate Who Drew Double Teams in Atlanta
The short version
- Young made the comments on the "Curious Mike" podcast hosted by Michael Porter Jr.
- He said he never had a Hawks teammate capable of drawing double teams.
- The Dejounte Murray trade never produced the intended fit, as both guards were ball-dominant.
- Atlanta's 2021 run to the Eastern Conference Finals ended after Young's Game 3 ankle injury against Milwaukee.
- Young is now with Washington; Murray plays for New Orleans.
Speaking on Michael Porter Jr.'s podcast, Young pointed to the lack of a second elite offensive option as the defining gap of his Hawks tenure.
Trae Young reflected on his time with the Atlanta Hawks during an appearance on the "Curious Mike" podcast hosted by Denver's Michael Porter Jr. Asked what was missing during his years in Atlanta, Young said he did not know if he had ever had a teammate who could draw double teams.
Young's comment points to a roster issue the Hawks never fully solved. The most aggressive attempt came in the trade for Dejounte Murray, which cost Atlanta significant draft capital, but both guards were most effective with the ball in their hands and the pairing never developed enough offensive synergy.
Atlanta did surround Young with solid contributors, including Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Kristaps Porzingis. But the organization never added a second elite offensive player who consistently forced defenses to commit extra attention away from Young.
The Hawks came closest to a breakthrough in the 2021 playoffs, when Young led them to the Eastern Conference Finals. His ankle injury in Game 3 against Milwaukee, a series the Bucks won on their way to a championship, remains a major what-if from that run.
Young is now with the Washington Wizards, where he was shown in uniform as an injured spectator in April 2026, while Murray is on the New Orleans Pelicans.
