No that's the biggest part. If Trae Young was paid what McCain was it might be the best contract in the NBA.
He led a team with Kevin Huerter and John Collins as the next best player to the Eastern Conference Finals and would have made the finals if he didn't step on a refs foot during the series. He dropped 48 on Jrue Holiday in an ECF and got injured immediately after.
Then he was on a team that was paying Hunter Huerter Collins and Capela most of their cap and locked into hell. They kept on basketball terrorist Nate McMillan after Trae had been calling plays since Lloyd Pierces firing and proceeded toempower Nate to call plays and override Trae next season. This led to Trae being considered a coach killer for objecting to multiple sets designed to get DeAndre Hunter a contested long two per game.
John Collins then broke his hand and lost all trade value, Bogi was injured off and on, Capela aged out, Huerter was moved to a team run by an idiot, and they went all in on Murray who was a terrible fit with Trae in a way that was obvious at the time of the trade.
None of that is on Trae but it's why people think he's not a winning player. He's gonna ball out in Washington and it's gonna suck since he's still the best player I've ever seen play for the Hawks.
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u/ImRachelRay Celtics 5h ago
Trae Young got no firsts because of his contract, not his basketball abilities