Hawks' Trae Young Fined $35K by NBA for Gesture Toward Referee During Loss to Bulls

Atlanta Hawks star point guard Trae Young's pockets are a little lighter than usual.

The NBA announced that Young has been fined $35,000 for "directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward a game official" during Atlanta's 136-126 loss to the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

The NBA noted that the gesture by Young occurred with 3:58 remaining in the fourth quarter of Monday's game, which is the same time that he was called for a flopping technical.

Young finished with 19 points and 14 assists in Monday's loss, but his frustration likely stemmed from his shooting struggles throughout the game. The 25-year-old shot 3-of-14 from the field and 2-of-10 from three-point range. It was his second straight game being held under 20 points.

Young leads the Hawks with 27.0 points, 10.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game, but his individual brilliance has not translated to team success this season. Atlanta ranks 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 24-30 record. The team has particularly struggled on the defensive end, ranking last in the league with an average of 123.9 points allowed this year.

The disappointment of this season could lead to Young's time with Atlanta coming to an end. The Ringer's Howard Beck reported on Wednesday that "it's considered a near certainty that" the Hawks "will part with one, or both, this summer," referring to Young and his backcourt mate Dejounte Murray.

Whatever the case may be, it's clear that this season has taken a toll on Young, as his frustrations boiled over on Monday.