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Trae Young Fined $25K for Throwing Ball into Stands After Hawks' OT Win Over Bulls
December 12, 2022
The NBA fined Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young $25,000 for throwing the ball into the crowd at the conclusion of Sunday's 123-122 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls.
After AJ Griffin's buzzer-beater, Young celebrated by heaving the ball toward the fans at State Farm Arena.
Young reacted to the fine:
The result snapped a three-game losing skid for Atlanta and moved the team's record to 14-13.
Young struggled in the contest. He shot 5-of-18 from the field for 19 points, though he added 14 assists for his 13th double-double of the season.
Beyond being a pittance for a player earning $37.1 million this season, the fine is the least of the Hawks' problems at the moment.
The Athletic's Shams Charania and Sam Amick reported on Dec. 4 that Young and head coach Nate McMillan were experiencing some friction behind the scenes. The report added the Hawks "have held multiple team meetings early this season to resolve various conflicts."
That led to wider scrutiny of Young given his status as the franchise cornerstone.
Through all of the drama, Atlanta is still sixth in the Eastern Conference and only three games back of the fourth-place Cleveland Cavaliers. Perhaps an emotional victory like the one Sunday represented the team turning the corner.
