The Atlanta Hawks have had a really busy offseason and they have certainly managed to improve their team. The franchise started out the process by drafting two wings, AJ Griffin in the first round and Tyrese Martin in the second round. Of the two, it is more likely that Griffin will break into the Hawks rotations this season.
Then they made THE trade of the NBA offseason. They sent three future first-round draft picks and Danilo Gallinari to the San Antonio Spurs, receiving Jock Landale and Dejounte Murray in return. This single trade is enough to potentially push the Hawks back into the top-two conversation in the Eastern Conference such is the impact Murray is expected to have.
The Hawks then traded Landale after two days to the Phoenix Suns for cash. These two moves sent big men away from the team, meaning that John Collins is the only starting power forward on the roster as it is currently structured.
The Atlanta Hawks trading Red Velvet helped John Collins’ case.
While it was sad to see Kevin Huerter go, the Hawks obviously believe that AJ Griffin will be able to take some of his minutes as the season progresses. They are hoping that he and Bogdan Bogdanovic can provide the floor spacing that Red Velvet was so good at.
However, the return for Huerter was crucial in order for Collins to stay. The longest-tenured player on the Hawks is not known for his one-on-one defense. However, both Justin Holiday and Maurice Harkless are stronger perimeter defenders than Huerter meaning that Collins will not be as exposed. He will also be a tremendous help defender when his wing players get beaten.
Collins’ usage rate also dropped to an alarming level last season, the lowest since his rookie year. Part of this was the amount of shooting on the floor, but it was also due to Collins passing up his opportunities. This cannot happen this season, where the Hawks need an aggressive, confident Collins if they are going to succeed.
He owns one of the highest true shooting percentages in Hawks history and can be an excitement machine on the alley-oop or when he skies for a huge offensive rebound. With a positive offseason, Collins may be the x-factor as the third option for the Hawks in the coming season.
Now all that needs to happen is the Hawks need to round out their roster with a couple of veterans and, barring injury, they should have a tremendous run at the title