Atlanta Hawks: Better or worse? A breakdown of each position

Mar 11, 2020; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) hits the floor after being fouled against the New York Knicks in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2020; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) hits the floor after being fouled against the New York Knicks in the second half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
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Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Hawks: Are the Hawks better or worse at small forward?

Power Forward

2019 – 2020: John Collins, Chandler Parsons, Jabari Parker

2020 – 2021: John Collins, Danilo Gallinari, Onyeka Okongwu, Solomon Hill

A lot of the roster moves that the Atlanta Hawks made this offseason had fans speculating about John Collins’ future with the organization. Though Collins missed 25 games last season, he’s likely seeking a max contract that we’re not sure the Hawks front office is willing to offer, but that he can likely get from another team. At any rate, Collins will be starting for the Hawks this season and should be looking to solidify himself as one of the premier big men in the league.

After losing Chandler Parsons to an extremely unfortunate accident, the Hawks were tasked with finding a solid backup for Collins in the rotation. They did so by grabbing veteran Danilo Gallinari in free agency. Gallo in his tenth year in the NBA was undoubtedly still one of the most prolific shooters in the league, shooting 40 percent from three-point range last season. Though fans initially speculated about a starting role for him, Gallinari made it clear that he came to Atlanta in a support role for John Collins and the other Atlanta bigs.

To round out the power forward position, the Hawks took Onyeka Okongwu with the number six pick In this year’s NBA Draft. Okongwu is a very solid two-way player and will do a lot to sure up the Hawks’ defensive woes. Throw Solomon Hill in the mix, who just came back from a championship contention run with the Miami Heat, and you’ve got a solid crew and some nice depth in the fourth spot on the floor for the Hawks.

VERDICT: BETTER