Trae Young posts absurd stat line as Hawks surprisingly take down Cavs

Trae Young posts an outrageously impressive stat line as the Atlanta Hawks surprise the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thanksgiving eve.

It's been easy to criticize Trae Young over the past year. He's emerged as an easy target as one of the most polarizing players in the league. But even after a summer of finding his name in the trade rumor mill, Young is still considered to be the face of the Atlanta Hawks. Will that change over the next few months? It could quite possibly. However, at least for now, Young continues to be a driving force for the franchise.

And on Thanksgiving Eve against the hottest team in the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers, Young continued to prove his worth as a star guard. As the Hawks upset the Cavs on Wednesday night, Young finished with 20 points and 22 assists. He's the first player to post at least 20 points and 20 assists in a game this season and just one of nine players who have accomplished the feat in the past five years.

Young hasn't gotten off to the best start to the season this year but continues to flash moments of greatness. But as he continues to have inconsistent showings this year, it's only going to bring more and more doubt about his future.

What is the next move for the Atlanta Hawks?

It hasn't been a disastrous start to the Hawks this season, especially considering they entered this year with not many expectations. However, at 8-11, the Hawks once again find themselves in no-man's land in the Eastern Conference. Eventually, the team is going to have to pick a direction forward. They're either going to have to double down into a rebuild or make a win-now move in an attempt to maximize this team's veteran talent.

Right now, it appears that the Hawks are trying to balance the two. And that rarely ends up working out in the long run. At the center of all the decisions is Young. A decision on whether to trade him or not remains at the start of what the Hawks may end up deciding to do. What makes it all the more difficult is Young's slow start to the season.

In theory, the Hawks should probably trade Young to jump-start their rebuild. But his shrinking trade value may limit Atlanta on that front. It could very much end up delaying the inevitable for the Hawks. But every so often, Young does have flashes of brilliance that show just how talented he still is. Against the Cavs on the night before Thanksgiving, it was another one of those instances.