Atlanta currently possesses the 28^th best defense in the league with an abysmal defensive rating of 113.8, placing them only above the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards. Atlanta ranks 28^th in defensive rebounds, last in opponents points off turnovers, and last in turnovers, giving up 17 a game. Lloyd Pierce has also experienced his fair share of growing pains as a young head coach. And one of our highly coveted first-round selections, Cam Reddish, has yet to hit his stride (although I have no doubt that he will). All of this, combined with a John Collins suspension for PEDs, has made this a year to forget.

However, one person who seems to be shining is Trae Young. Trae Young is playing like he’s in a video game through the first 30 games of this season. He averages 28.5 points per game with 8.3 assists per game.  He is every bit of the playmaker that Travis Schlenk envisioned when he acquired him on draft day, and, along with his boost in scoring in year two, he’s become substantially more efficient. His 3-point shooting is up from .324 to .366 and overall field goal percentage from .418 to .443. That is pretty good when you consider he is currently 4th in scoring and 5th in assists.

He is blazing the other point guards in the East. Ben Simmons, while a great player, has only ever had limited development because he refuses to work. His only real competition is Kemba Walker, who averages 22.6 PPG on 43.1 % shooting, while Young averages 29.0 PPG on 44.3 % shooting. Walker averages 5.3 APG while Young averages 8.5 APG, with much better teammates. So Trae Young was named the Eastern Confrence all star starter for the point guard position, and it could not be more warranted.