3 reasons Raptors would hang up phone in any Trae Young trade offers

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Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, Atlanta Hawks. Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images /

Reason No. 2: Trae Young might not play the right role.

There are multiple facets to being a good teammate in the NBA. One piece is chemistry; how do you fit in with your teammates, build trust, care for them off of the court, and cultivate friendship?

Young does distribute the ball, yes, but generally just to teammates in catch-and-shoot situations. Otherwise, he dominates the ball, and when he gives it up, he stands in place rather than working off the ball to create an advantage far too often. Add in the aforementioned defensive issues, and he can’t be a fun player to play with.

Trae Young might not improve the Toronto Raptors’ vibes.

Now cracks are forming off the court as well. When Young and former head coach Nate McMillan were feuding earlier this season, his Hawks teammates reportedly sided with the coach over Young. With a new head coach in Quin Snyder now in place, he will demand more of Young off-ball in his motion offense.

The Raptors need to find out a way to make sure Pascal Siakam is still the featured option while ensuring Scottie Barnes takes steps forward. Can you do that while also bringing Young into the fold?

That’s the maelstrom that would be heading to the Raptors. Even amidst some disappointing seasons, the Raptors have maintained a strong organizational and team culture, with everyone seeming to pull in the same direction. Adding Young would take a sledgehammer to many of the Raptors’ long-term plans for Siakam and Barnes while handing them quite an expensive bill.