New York Mayor Blames Trae Young for High Knicks Playoff Ticket Prices

Zohran Mamdani calls out former Hawks star as reason for affordability issues ahead of first-round matchup

Apr. 17, 2026 at 4:53am

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting a basketball game between the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks, with the players and court broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in the teams' official colors of orange, blue, red, and yellow.The mayor's criticism of high ticket prices for the Knicks-Hawks playoff series reflects the ongoing challenge of making professional sports accessible to all fans.NYC Today

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is pointing the finger at former Atlanta Hawks star Trae Young as the reason behind high ticket prices for the Knicks' upcoming first-round playoff series against the Hawks. Mamdani, who was elected on a platform of affordability, used the playoff matchup as an opportunity to highlight his concerns over the cost of attending Knicks games.

Why it matters

Mamdani's comments highlight the ongoing debate around the affordability of attending professional sporting events, especially in major markets like New York City. As a newly elected mayor, Mamdani is using his platform to address this issue, which has long been a concern for many fans.

The details

In a speech, Mamdani directly blamed Young, who was traded from the Hawks to the Washington Wizards in January, for the high ticket prices. 'I would say that I blame Trae Young... and I think it's always important to blame Trae Young,' Mamdani said. During his campaign, Mamdani was criticized by some Knicks fans for using the team's logo in his ads, but he was elected on a platform of affordability and has made it a central focus of his young political career.

  • The Knicks will face the Hawks in the first round of the NBA playoffs on Saturday.
  • Mamdani was elected as mayor of New York City on November 4, 2025.
  • Mamdani was inaugurated as mayor on January 1, 2026.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The newly elected mayor of New York City, who ran on a platform of affordability and has made ticket prices a central focus of his political career.

Trae Young

The former star of the Atlanta Hawks, who was traded to the Washington Wizards in January 2026.

Jalen Brunson

The Knicks player who received a shoutout from Mamdani during his inauguration speech.

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What they’re saying

“I would say that I blame Trae Young... and I think it's always important to blame Trae Young”

— Zohran Mamdani, Mayor of New York City

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Mamdani's comments highlight the ongoing challenge of making professional sports accessible to all fans, especially in major markets like New York City. As a newly elected mayor, he is using his platform to address this issue, which has long been a concern for many fans.