How long is Trae Young out? Hand injury timeline, return date, latest updates for Hawks star

The Hawks’ postseason push has taken a serious hit.

As Atlanta looks to move up in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament picture, it will have to do so without All-Star guard Trae Young, who is set to miss extended time with a hand injury. This season, Young leads the team in scoring and assists per game.

How much time is Young set to miss and what does it mean for the Hawks moving forward? Here is the latest on the three-time All-Star.

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What is Trae Young’s injury?Young has a torn radial collateral ligament (RCL) in the fifth finger of his left hand, the Hawks announced on Feb. 25. The injury will require surgery.

Young suffered the injury during the Hawks’ loss to the Raptors on Friday, Feb. 23. It is unclear when exactly Young hurt his hand as he completed the game despite the ailment, finishing with 11 points (on 2-of-6 shooting) and seven assists while playing through the final buzzer.

This season, Young is averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 assists, and 2.7 rebounds per game for the Hawks.

How long is Trae Young out?The Hawks announced that Young will undergo surgery on Tuesday, Feb. 27. He will be evaluated four weeks after surgery.

Based on the Hawks’ provided timeline, Young will be evaluated during the week of March 25. Atlanta, which is on a three-game losing streak at the time of the announcement, will play around 15 games before Young is re-evaluated.

This season, the Hawks are 22-29 with Young in the lineup and 2-3 in his absence. Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovic will take on more playmaking and scoring responsibilities.

Trae Young stats 2023-2426.4 points per game10.8 assists per game2.7 rebounds per game1.4 steals per game4.3 turnovers per game42.6 percent field goal shooting37.1 percent 3-point field goal shooting85.6 percent free throw shooting

Author(s)

Gilbert McGregor is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News.