Trae Young's return could be right around the corner after the Atlanta Hawks announced that the All-Star guard has been cleared for contact and team practice. Young, who underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left finger, has been sidelined since Feb. 25.
It's unclear when Young could return to game action, but it's positive news for the Hawks as they enter the final week of the regular season. Beyond that, having Young for Atlanta's Play-In Tournament game against the Chicago Bulls would heighten its chances of trying to secure the No. 8 spot for the Eastern Conference playoffs.
To this point, the Hawks have sorely missed Young's presence. Before going down, Young was averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 assists and 2.7 rebounds. In the 22 games he's been sidelined, Atlanta has gone 12-10, doing just enough to fend off the Brooklyn Nets from taking the final spot in the Play-In Tournament. Still, moving up to the No. 9 spot is still in play, as one game separates the Hawks and the Bulls. If Young manages to return and Atlanta is able to jump Chicago in the standings, it'll be able to host the No. 9 vs No. 10 seed Play-In matchup.
In Young's absence, Dejounte Murray and Bogdan Bogdanovic have carried the brunt of the offensive load for the Hawks, and it's allowed for further growth from third-year forward Jalen Johnson, who is averaging a career-high 16.1 points this season. But the Hawks managing to stay afloat with Young out has really been because of Bogdanovic's rise in play after he was elevated to the starting lineup to fill the hole in the backcourt. With Young sidelined, Bogdanovic is averaging 17 points, nearly four assists and four rebounds. His production on offense has saved the Hawks in several games over the last month, though with Young keyed for a return he'll likely be moved back to the bench.
The Hawks remaining games are two home contests against the Heat and Hornets, followed by road games against the Timberwolves and Pacers. It remains to be seen if Young will make an appearance in any of those games, as Atlanta would likely want to see him return in regular season action before competing in the Play-In.
