Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder has called for unity within his team to ensure Trae Young's injury does not hinder their NBA season. The Hawks secured a 117-112 win over the Brooklyn Nets, improving to a 2-3 record in the 2025-26 season. However, Young's knee injury during the first quarter overshadowed the victory.
Young was injured when teammate Mouhamed Gueye collided with him after being pushed by Noah Clowney of the Nets. Before leaving the game, Young had scored six points in seven minutes. Despite this setback, Jalen Johnson led Atlanta with 23 points, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker contributed 18 points as Young's replacement.
Snyder acknowledged that replacing a player of Young's calibre requires adjustments. "Anytime a player of Trae's
calibre [gets injured], particularly someone that has the ball and is orchestrating situations on the offensive end, that's an adjustment we had to make," Snyder stated. He emphasised the importance of teamwork, saying everyone must be willing to play with the pass.
Young leads the NBA with a career-high average of 11.6 assists per game. Snyder stressed that players like Luke Kennard, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Dyson Daniels, and Jalen Johnson need to step up in Young's absence. The focus will be on maintaining ball movement and creating opportunities collectively.
An @emoryhealthcare injury update: Trae Young (right knee sprain) will not return to tonight's game. pic.twitter.com/nsKFxLnq8I Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) October 30, 2025
Snyder revealed that Young avoided damage to his ACL but will undergo an MRI soon. "The most important thing is it is not his ACL," Snyder mentioned. The timeline for Young’s return remains uncertain until further medical evaluation.
Despite his injury, Young showed determination to continue playing. "He didn't want to come out of the game," Snyder said. "He's such a competitor. " Young expressed his desire to stay on court by asking for more time before being substituted.
Upcoming Challenges for Hawks
The Hawks are set to face the Indiana Pacers next Friday before taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers at the start of November. As they prepare for these games, maintaining team cohesion will be crucial in overcoming challenges without their star player.
The team hopes for a swift recovery for Young while focusing on collective efforts to maintain their performance level in upcoming matches.
