Patrick Beverley Rips Trae Young, Says Players 'Don't Think He's a Good Leader'

Amid all of the optimism around the Atlanta Hawks after their offseason acquisitions, the question at the center for the organization is Trae Young's ability to elevate them to being a top-tier contender in the Eastern Conference.

On the latest episode of his podcast, Patrick Beverley was critical of the Atlanta point guard by noting that he has talked to NBA players who previously played with Young and didn't enjoy their time because they "don't think he's a good leader" and "don't think he's a good teammate."

Beverley's comment came after Young responded to a comment he made on X about the effort players give in the NBA All-Star Game.

Young did receive support from Kevin Durant, who responded to Beverley's post on X by saying he sounds "delusional" with his comments.

Even though Beverley was sticking up for himself, the criticism he had about Young is one that has frequently popped up over the course of his career.

In an anonymous poll for the 2024-25 season conducted by The Athletic's Sam Amick and Josh Robbins, players voted Young as the third-most overrated player in the NBA.

To be fair, Tyrese Haliburton finished as the most overrated player in the poll then proceeded to lead the Indiana Pacers to the NBA Finals before tearing his Achilles in Game 7, so players may not be the best judge of talent.

However, Young has been loudly criticized throughout his career to the point he has spoken out about feeling disrespected and being labeled as a "selfish" player.

There could definitely be something to what Beverley is saying given that the Hawks were at least making him available in a trade prior to the 2024 trade deadline.

Perhaps the most telling sign that the Hawks have some questions about Young is they haven't signed him to an extension, even though he is entering the final guaranteed season of his current deal with a $46 million salary in 2025-26.

Young seemed to indicate in a post on X earlier this summer he was waiting for the Hawks to make him an offer.

Andscape's Marc J. Spears said last month on ESPN's NBA Today that Young is "disappointed" the Hawks haven't made him an extension offer. He is eligible to sign a four-year deal worth up to $229 million.

The Hawks have been praised for their offseason additions, which include Kristaps Porziņģis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard, as they look to take advantage of an East that looks to be in a state of flux with teams like the Pacers, Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks facing a lot of question marks going into this season.

Young, for all his flaws, is certainly one of the most productive point guards in the NBA. The 26-year-old has averaged 25.3 points and 9.8 assists per game in 483 career games. He led the league with a career-high 11.6 assists per contest last season.

The Hawks have missed the playoffs in each of the past two seasons. They haven't won a postseason series since reaching the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021.