Atlanta punished for odd choice apparently forgetting Spurs own 1st rounder

The phrase of the day is organizational stability. It's the week of Thanksgiving, so it's fitting to express the gratitude fans have for the competence of San Antonio's front office. Atlanta is the type of franchise that routinely makes head-scratching decisions, baffling everyone on the outside looking in.

Their latest episode of ineptitude doesn't disappoint in this endeavor, as even fans are likely confused. On November 12, the Georgia-based basketball team sat Trae Young against the Boston Celtics. It's hard to say the Hawks were tanking because they won the game, but everyone, including Atlanta's cheerleading squad, knew they shouldn't have won that game.

The Hawks don't seem to have a plan right now

Boston likely didn't take Atlanta seriously due to their current struggles as a team and the absence of Young. They played a sloppy game, turning the ball over 20 times, leading to a one-point victory for the Hawks. But you still can't help but wonder what they were thinking since the Spurs have their 2025 first-round draft pick.

The Hawks have talented young players on the roster and it will only help them to play with a talented player like Trae Young. They should gather as much on-court experience with an upper-class point guard as possible before Atlanta finds a trade partner. His experience in big moments can only help them grow a little faster.

Granted, they have other vets on the team, but you would think that Trae Young could provide a little bit more than Clint Capela and Larry Nance Jr. This team is going to be inconsistent—there is too much inexperience on their roster. Stability can be useful to a young team going through those hard times that are bound to happen.

There is no advantage to sitting Trae Young at the beginning of the season like he's an old man. Especially when the NBA has been adamant about their desire to see stars on the floor more often. Resting players has gotten out of control, and Adam Silver has put rules in place to punish the players and their teams when guys are missing games for no good reason.

Last season saw the implementation of the 65-game limit to win NBA awards. Players must reach that threshold to be eligible for the honors that get them added bonuses and open the door for max dollars. Punishing teams monetarily is another step toward that goal, and teams know that. There is no benefit to costing your franchise $100,000.

Fortunately for the Spurs, this is the kind of management that led the Hawks to trade San Antonio their 2025 pick, sticking them into basketball purgatory. They don't have enough talent to be a good team, nor the assets to improve through the draft. It's a terrible place to be for them but awesome for the Silver and Black.