Over the past several years, the NBA has seen point guards rise to prominence as the central figures of their respective franchises. Each strives to lead their team deep into the playoffs while shaping the identity of their franchise through their style of play.
Cade Cunningham, De’Aaron Fox and Ja Morant have each left an impression with their talent and production. Still, for Jeff Teague, none of them measure up to the consistency and availability of Trae Young.
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Teague explains why he would pick Trae
After a five-year postseason drought, Cunningham brought the Playoffs excitement back to Detroit. He led them with 26.1 points and 9.1 assists per game and helped the Pistons clinch the sixth seed in the East while winning 44 games (30 more than the previous season).
Despite his best efforts to average 25.0 points, the Pistons ultimately fell short against the more experienced New York Knicks in the first round.
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Meanwhile, Fox has been the face of the Sacramento Kings franchise for years, earning the Clutch Player of the Year, All-NBA and All-Star honors. Yet, he has managed to lead them to the playoffs merely once. Ultimately, he was shipped away to the San Antonio Spurs midway through the 2024-25 season.
Similarly, at one point, it seemed like Morant was poised to become one of the most electrifying guards when he averaged 27,4 points per game to claim the Most Improved Player of the Year award and a spot in the All-NBA Second Team in 2022. However, his trajectory stalled due to off-court issues that prevented him from keeping his head down,
By contrast, Young has shown remarkably better consistency than all three guards. From averaging 29.6 points per game to leading the league with 11.6 assists per game, he has altered his game significantly. And despite being snubbed of deserving All-Star selections, Young continues to be the focal point of the Hawks.
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As a result, Teague’s obvious reasoning for choosing Young over Morant, Cunningham, and Fox is that Young has embraced the role of a villain, tolerated repeated accolade-wise disrespect, and yet continued to lead his team in a more structured and consistent manner.
“I like Cade. Imma take Trae Young over Cade right now. I think Cade is great (but) he ain’t won nothing either,” Teague said. “He had a moment, good year last year. Trae has just been there.
“Fox? They had made it to the playoffs once? Fox is great, too. He is one of my favorite players, but I take Trae over him. The way the Memphis Grizzlies play when Ja Morant plays, it’s a totally different team. But I’m saying I’ve seen Trae play more than I’ve seen Ja Morant play. So, if I had to pick my point guard right now, I’d pick Trae Young.”
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Young has been unlucky
While Cunningham received deserved recognition for guiding Detroit back to the postseason, Morant continues to be celebrated for his electrifying athleticism and Fox for his clutchness. Young’s contributions have not been met with similar respect.
Despite his diligence and the new identity he has brought to Atlanta, he has yet to secure a lucrative extension of his own, nor has he been consistently acknowledged with All-NBA selections. So perhaps for Jeff, this discrepancy reflects a broader sense of disrespect toward Trae.
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However, this season, Ice Trae has more than enough resources to completely change the narrative about himself and his team.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.