Browsing: Hawks

This news is not a surprise. In fact, Trae Young was resigned to this outcome months ago.

Young and the Atlanta Hawks will not reach terms on a contract extension before the start of the season, something confirmed by Joe Varden and Fred Katz at The Athletic. Young will make $46 million this season and has a player option for $48.9 million next season — he could, in theory, leave the team for nothing as a free agent next summer.

Youngâ€s extension can be agreed to and signed at any point during this season, and Young has hinted on social media that he wants to sign one. However, Hawks management has built the best team around Young he has ever had, and new GM Onsi Saleh wants to see how all of this looks before extending anyone. On paper, the Hawks appear to be a top-four team in the East, with the potential to be a playoff threat to the Cavaliers and Knicks at the top of the conference. But what will they look like on the court?

Atlanta was aggressive in building out this roster. The Hawks traded for Kristaps Porzingis, who brings much-needed shot blocking on defense as well as a pick-and-pop partner for Young. Atlanta sign-and-traded for Nickeil Alexander-Walker to add shooting and defense on the wing. Speaking of shooting, the Hawks went out and got Luke Kennard.

Then there are the players in house expected to take a step forward. Jalen Johnson is healthy again after what looked to be a breakout season a year ago. Zaccharie Risacher seems poised to make a leap in his second season. Dyson Daniels was the leagueâ€s Most Improved Player a season ago, while this is a big year for big man Onyeka Okongwu.

Thatâ€s a lot of talent, but it puts pressure on Young to show he can be the leader of this team, not just a scorer or offensive force but a floor general when the team needs it. If Young can put all the puzzle pieces together, he will get his extension (his max would be four years, $229 million, but the number likely comes in a little below that).

Itâ€s just not happening before the season.

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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After Lehigh volleyball’s resounding sweep over Loyola on Friday night, the Mountain Hawks returned to Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall on Saturday to host the defending league champion Colgate Raiders. The Mountain Hawks competed the whole way through but ultimately lost in three sets.

Lehigh (9-8, 3-5 PL) and Colgate (13-5, 8-0 PL) gave the fans in attendance quite the show in the first set, playing all the way to a 34th point. The set remained closely-contested nearly the whole way through until the Raiders scored two unanswered to set up set point at 24-21. The Mountain Hawks rallied back, reaching set point at 25-24 themselves. The two teams continued to trade points until the score was tied 32-32. The Raiders finally secured two points in a row to win a wild first set.

The Mountain Hawks again tested the Raiders in the second set, keeping pace to reach a tied score of 14-14. From there, the Raiders offense took off, conducting an 8-2 run to take a 22-16 lead. Lehigh would bring it to within two at 22-20, but Colgate closed out the set 25-20 to take a 2-0 lead. The Raiders offense hit an outstanding .682 in the frame while the Mountain Hawks hit a respectable .313.

The Raiders turned up the intensity in the third, hitting .520 while holding the Mountain Hawks to a -.031 hitting percentage. Lehigh remained competitive through the first third of the set until an 11-2 Colgate run set up match point at 24-12. The Mountain Hawks got back two points but fell 25-14 to close out the match.

First-year Mary Massias led the Mountain Hawks offensively with nine kills on a .389 hitting percentage. Junior Abby Felkai paced Lehigh with 18 assists while sophomore Sophia Bond tallied 11 digs to lead the team.

Colgate was led by Milan Bayless with 18 kills on a .500 hitting percentage while Tiana Owens joined her in double-digit kills with 15.

The Mountain Hawks return to action on Saturday, October 18 at 2 p.m. for a rematch with Colgate in Hamilton, N.Y.

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After previously teasing something from the music studio during the summer, Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young dropped a new song on Saturday.

Young’s single, titled “Where I Stay,” features guest appearances from Georgia-based rappers Quavo and 2 Chainz and was released on YouTube.

There had been hints that Young was working on something recently. The Players’ Tribune released a new video series calledSwitching Stages in which athletes and musicians got together to explore their shared connections.

The first episode featured Young and Quavo, with the former Migos frontman being shown teaching the four-time NBA All-Star how to rap.

Between the song title and some of the lyrics—particularly, the line “A-T-L-A-N-T-A-G-A is where I stay”—might be a pointed message toward Hawks management.

Much has been made about the state of Young’s contract as he enters the final guaranteed season of his current deal and his future with the Hawks. The 27-year-old recently said he’s not necessarily disappointed about the state of his talks with the organization because he’s “happy about the team that we got going into this season.”

The Hawks had one of the best offseasons of any team in the NBA, adding Kristaps Porziņģis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard. They have all the makings of a team capable of being one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

Young, in addition to moonlighting as a rapper now, will be leading the charge in Atlanta. The Hawks will open the regular season at home against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 22.

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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh volleyball returned to Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall on Friday evening for a Patriot League match against the visiting Loyola Maryland Greyhounds. The Mountain Hawks put on a dominant display in a 3-0 sweep of the Greyhounds that lasted only a little over an hour.

Lehigh (9-7, 3-4 PL) took full control of the match from the start, quickly building a 16-8 lead in the first set over Loyola (4-12, 2-5 PL). From there, the Mountain Hawks concluded the set on a 9-4 run to take set one by a score of 25-13. Lehigh hit .321 in frame while holding the Greyhounds to a .167 hitting percentage.

The Mountain Hawks built upon their dominant first set with an incredible effort in set two. Lehigh hit an absurd .588 in the period while limiting Loyola to a .000 hitting percentage. Leading 11-6, sophomore Sophia Bond took serve and helped orchestrate a 12-0 run that included five service aces from Bond. Lehigh ultimately came away with a 25-8 win in set two.

Loyola showed more fight in set three, playing to a 14-14 tie at the midway point of the set. However, the Greyhounds’ offense struggled to find consistency, hitting a match-worst -.028 in the frame. After the tie, the Mountain Hawks soared past the Greyhounds with a 10-1 run to set up match point. A Loyola service error sealed the deal in a 25-17 set three win and resounding Patriot League victory for Lehigh.

Lehigh stuffed the stat sheet in Friday’s win, hitting .373 as a team on 36 kills. Junior Ufuoma Omene tallied nine kills on a blistering .583 hitting percentage while senior Natalie Luscomb matched with nine kills on a .320 hitting percentage. First-year Mary Massias chipped in six kills on a .600 hitting percentage. First-year Chloe Fisher led the way with 12 assists on a .750 assist percentage while Bond impressed with eight service aces on the night.

The Greyhounds were led offensively by Kacy Sekunda and Ava Nepkin with seven kills apiece.

The Mountain Hawks are back at Grace Hall on Saturday, October 11 at 4 p.m. to take on reigning league champion Colgate.

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The 2025-26 NBA season is here! We’re rolling out our previews — examining the biggest questions, best- and worst-case scenarios, and win projections for all 30 franchises — from the still-rebuilding teams to the true title contenders.

2024-25 finish

• Record: 40-42 (eliminated in play-in tournament)

Offseason moves

• Additions: Kristaps Porziņģis, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Luke Kennard, Asa Newell

• Subtractions: Clint Capela, Larry Nance Jr., Georges Niang, Terance Mann

(Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports Illustration)

The Big Question: Is Trae Young prepared to lead a contender?

Trae Young is a four-time All-Star. He has averaged as many as 29.6 points and 11.6 assists per game. He has led his team as far as an Eastern Conference finals. And he is 27 years old — squarely in his prime.

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If ever there were a season for Young to take a step forward in his career — to move past the criticisms of his contributions as a winning player, especially on the defensive end — it would be this one. And if ever there were a team built to accentuate his game and mask his deficiencies, it would be this one.

The Hawks added one-time All-Star center Kristaps Porziņģis and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (among last year’s Sixth Man of the Year candidates) to a roster that already boasted a talented rim protector and a cache of versatile wings.

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Porziņģis will join Onyeka Okongwu in the frontcourt. Who will start is anyone’s guess, but given Porziņģis’ performance at EuroBasket over the summer, the guess here is that he will get the nod. Either way, Atlanta can field 48 minutes of quality rim protection behind Young, while Porziņģis also adds a layer of versatility on the offensive end. Young has never had a pick-and-pop option quite like Porziņģis.

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Nor has Young had this many versatile two-way wings to assist him on defense. In addition to Alexander-Walker, Atlanta features rising star Jalen Johnson, Most Improved Player Dyson Daniels and 2024 No. 1 overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher. Luke Kennard and Asa Newell also joined the fray this season.

The Hawks are deep and talented and built to support a ball-dominant superstar on his quest for a championship. The big question, then: Can Young be the best player on a serious title contender?

We have our doubts, recognizing that doubts are what drive Young. He should also be driven by criticisms of his value as a teammate — levied by former NBA player Patrick Beverley over the summer. Young does have a tendency to make a game about himself, but he has also never had this much help.

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Do not forget about the matter of Young’s contract, either. He owns a $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season. He is eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension, which has not yet been offered. Is there a figure that satisfies both parties? It feels weird to go into a season in which the team has title aspirations (however long its shot might be) while the roster’s best player is on a lame-duck contract.

[Get more Hawks news: Atlanta team feed]

Do the Hawks believe in Young as a driver of winning? That they must answer this season. And early. Because other teams will be asking themselves the same question, as they consider trading for Young.

There are no good options if Young cannot lead this team into contention. What do the Hawks do, then? They can trade him, though they would have to find a team willing to give up real assets and pay Young. They could let him walk for nothing, freeing up cap space, though they have had no luck in big-name free agency. Or they could sign him to a fair extension, perpetuating a team with a sub-championship ceiling.

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It is so much better if Young is just awesome and embraces the brand of basketball that can coalesce a roster. Everything flows from there, because the Hawks would have their man, their team and real hope.

Best-case scenario

Young is everything the Hawks imagined him to be, getting off the ball a little more on offense and digging deep on defense, and his effort on both ends sets a tone: The Hawks are here to compete. Johnson is an absolute star, maybe even an All-Star. They get a healthy season from Porziņģis. Risacher takes a step forward. Daniels is a menace. Everyone else is rock solid, and Atlanta has a real shot at winning the East. That’s right. They could win this Eastern Conference. Whether or not they can beat whoever emerges from the West is another matter, but who cares, for Atlanta hasn’t seen a Finals … ever.

If everything falls apart

Young is nothing the Hawks imagined him to be, prioritizing his own success over the team’s. His business as usual on both ends stagnates the development of the young wings at his side — Johnson, Daniels and Risacher — and no amount of rim protection can guard against Young’s carelessness on defense. Bad vibes permeate the locker room, and a trade is necessary, only Atlanta cannot find much more than nickels on the dollar. The Hawks take another step back in order to move forward behind a young core, which is not the worst of options, except that they’ll need another point guard. And who is that guy? This is the catch-22: The Hawks may be damned to never win if they do keep Young and damned if they don’t.

2025-26 schedule

• Season opener: Oct. 22 vs. Toronto

Trae Young is good. His supporting cast could be great. And what’s the fun of rooting against a could-be contender? Take the over and hope Young is great, too. And he better be, because the team is built for it.

More season previews

East: Atlanta Hawks • Boston Celtics • Brooklyn Nets • Charlotte Hornets • Chicago Bulls • Cleveland Cavaliers • Detroit Pistons • Indiana Pacers • Miami Heat • Milwaukee Bucks • New York Knicks • Orlando Magic • Philadelphia 76ers • Toronto Raptors • Washington Wizards

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West: Dallas Mavericks • Denver Nuggets • Golden State Warriors • Houston Rockets • Los Angeles Clippers • Los Angeles Lakers • Memphis Grizzlies • Minnesota Timberwolves • New Orleans Pelicans • Oklahoma City Thunder • Phoenix Suns • Portland Trail Blazers • Sacramento Kings • San Antonio Spurs • Utah Jazz

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On this episode of The Dunker Spot, Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones discuss the upcoming Game 5 between the Aces and Fever, put a bow on an awesome Mercury-Lynx series, then react to the All-Rookie team.

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On the NBA side, the guys break down the quotes and updates that intrigue them the most from this year’s Media Days.

If you ever have NBA or WNBA questions, email us at dunkerspot@yahoo.com.

If youâ€d like to join our Dunker Spot Playoff watch parties — they’re free, and easy to sign up for — you can do so here: https://www.playback.tv/thedunkerspot

(:43) Introduction

(2:22) WNBA Playoffs: Aces vs. Fever Game 5

(15:10) Mercury defeat Lynx to advance to WNBA Finals

(27:10) Lynx season shouldnâ€t be forgotten

(30:51) WNBA All-Rookie Team

(40:27) NBA Media Day headlines

(43:03) Excitement for the Atlanta Hawks

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(46:54) Will the Thompson twins take another leap?

(102:31) Anthony Edwardâ€s offseason improvements

(106:06) Victor Wembanyama primed for a big season

Victor Wembanyama is ready to go for the 2025-26 NBA season. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

(AP Photo/Darren Abate)

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ðŸ–¥ï¸ Watch this full episode on YouTube

Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at or atyahoosports.tv

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Trae Young isnâ€t quite at “disappointment†yet when it comes to his lack of a contract extension with the Atlanta Hawks, but heâ€s close.

Young, speaking at the teamâ€s media day on Monday, was asked about not having a new deal entering training camp this fall. Young is eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension with the franchise. Though he tried to downplay it a bit and insisted that his focus was elsewhere, itâ€s on the back of his mind.

“I don’t know [about] the word disappointment. I mean, maybe, for sure,” Young said, via ESPNâ€s Ohm Youngmisuk. “For me, I’m so focused. I’m more happy about the team that we got going into this season. I’m blessed, bro. I wasn’t stressing about anything. If something happened, it happened. If it didn’t, I still got time.”

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Young averaged 24.2 points and a league-high 11.6 assists per game last season while picking up the fourth All-Star nod of his career. The Hawks went just 40-42 last season, however, and missed the playoffs for the second straight campaign under head coach Quin Snyder.

The former No. 5 overall pick out of Oklahoma is entering the eighth season in the league. He has two years left on a five-year, $215 million deal he signed with the franchise ahead of the 2022-23 campaign, and heâ€s got a player option on that contract for next season before he hits free agency in 2027.

Though Young can still get his extension done, itâ€s unclear where the two sides are at on that front.

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Regardless, Young is trying to focus on getting the Hawks back into the postseason. The team made several major moves this past offseason, including bringing in Kristaps Porzingis from the Boston Celtics and Nickeil Alexander-Walker from the Minnesota Timberwolves. They also struck a one-year, $11 million deal with Luke Kennard in free agency.

“I’m focused on this team. I’m focused on right now,” Young said. “I got a great team going into the season that you can’t say I’ve had [before]. So I’m even more excited about that. Who knows what the future is for me. But right now I’m here and I’m present like me and Coach [Snyder] have been talking about. I’m ready to go.”

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WEST POINT, N.Y. – Lehigh volleyball played the first leg of a road back-to-back on Friday evening from Gillis Field House against the Army West Point Black Knights. The Mountain Hawks took set two from the Black Knights but ultimately fell in four sets.

Lehigh (6-6, 0-3 PL) and Army (8-4, 2-1 PL) were engaged in a competitive first set. The Black Knights managed to take control of the set in the early going with a 13-7 lead, but the Mountain Hawks managed to keep it close after the fact. With Army leading 22-18, Lehigh went on a 5-0 run to take a 23-22 lead and put themselves two points away from the set win. The two teams traded points past the 25th, eventually culminating in a narrow 27-25 win for Army.

Following the tight loss in set one, Lehigh dominated in set two. The Mountain Hawks bested the Black Knights 25-17 in the frame while hitting a match-best .263. Lehigh also held Army to a match-low .049 in the second set.

The Black Knights avenged their set two loss with a strong showing in set three, soundly defeating the Mountain Hawks 25-15. Lehigh was held to .000 hitting percentage while Army hit their match-best .290 in the period. The Mountain Hawks kept pace with the Black Knights to open the fourth, but a stronger hitting percentage helped propel Army past Lehigh 25-18 in set four to clinch the victory.

Sophomore Sophia Bond was outstanding defensively for Lehigh, posting a match-best 24 digs. Three Mountain Hawks reached double-digit kills, those being senior Natalie Lusomb (12), first-year Mary Massias (11) and junior Ufuoma Omene (10). Junior Abby Felkai led Lehigh and the match with 30 assists, reaching a new career-high.

Mackenzie Lynch and Chloe Murakami led the Black Knights offensively, posting 18 and 15 kills respectively.

The Mountain Hawks head north to take on Holy Cross on Saturday, September 27 at 5 p.m. in Worcester.

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EASTON, Pa. – The first installment of The Rivalry between Lehigh volleyball and the Lafayette Leopards took place on Saturday…

Sep 15, 2025, 04:47 PM ETThe Atlanta Hawks are trading guard Kobe Bufkin to the Brooklyn Nets for cash considerations,…