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Ranking the NBA's Top 10 Young Cores Ahead of 2021-22 Season

1. Atlanta Hawks



The Core: Trae Young, John Collins, De'Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter, Cam Reddish, Onyeka Okongwu, Jalen Johnson

Are we putting too much stock in Atlanta's run to the Eastern Conference Finals? Some might say that. But it's hard not to get excited about what's in front of this core after such a magical season.

If Young had any doubters before the campaign tipped, they didn't survive the season. He finished 14th in scoring (25.3) and second in assists (9.4), then found nearly an extra four points per outing in the playoffs (28.8). For a third-year player in his postseason debut, it was the kind of performance that made superstardom feel inevitable.

Beyond Young, the Hawks have a near-All-Star in Collins, a 23-year-old averaging 19.3 points and 9.0 rebounds since the start of 2018-19. Hunter was busy turning heads before right knee injuries derailed his season, but he still hinted at a leap from a three-and-D wing to a three-level scorer who defends multiple spots. Huerter is a three-point sniper who also functions as a secondary playmaker and capable team defender.

That quartet alone might get the Hawks this spot, but their chance for core expansion cements it.

Reddish had his sophomore season thrown off course by injuries but remains an interesting source of defensive versatility and support scoring. Okongwu can defend from the paint to the perimeter and gets interesting in a hurry if he finds a three-ball. Johnson stampeded through Summer League and already proved he fell too far as the 20th pick.

Atlanta can thank this young core for delivering both its impressive present and blindingly bright future.

The reason I get so bold about Atlanta’s future is their young talent. Hunter and Reddish were bad shooters in the regular season, yet Reddish made 9 of his 14 3s upon returning to their last series against the Bucks after an injury, giving him some needed confidence as this season rolls in. And Hunter was almost as pivotal to the Hawks’ dismantling the Knicks in round one after being the key guy to shut down Julius Randle after he destroyed them in the regular season when Hunter was out injured. He shot 6-16 from 3 in that series before having to miss the rest of the playoffs. There is no reason to believe Hunter (23) and Reddish (21) won’t become at least decent shooters in time, perhaps even good ones. Their postseason play showed vast potential, making them valuable prospects for whatever the Hawks want to do over time.

That’s the most intriguing part of this Hawks franchise now: What will happen by merely adding time. No contender is better balanced. A top-tier talent in Young, solid experienced role players, a deep bench full of youth, with a number of players loaded with upside.

The Hawks are so rich with talent that a guy like Kevin Huerter can go unnoticed. His athletic fluidity and shooting mechanics remind me of young Ray Allen. He’s a gunslinger too, who shot the Sixers out of the playoffs in Game 7, with 27 points on 18 shots on a variety of pure bucket-getting plays.

Jamaaliver wrote:

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The Hawks are so rich with talent that a guy like Kevin Huerter can go unnoticed. His athletic fluidity and shooting mechanics remind me of young Ray Allen. He’s a gunslinger too, who shot the Sixers out of the playoffs in Game 7, with 27 points on 18 shots on a variety of pure bucket-getting plays.

SI ranks five Hawks players in preseason top 100 list



No. 17, Trae Young, G
No surprise here that Young cracks the top-20. SI had him at 29 last season, and he proved he was a winner on top of being a superstar in the 2021 postseason.

The Hawks wound up with five of the top 64 players overall, and four of the top 56. That is a solid foundation considering Danilo Gallinari and Kevin Huerter are also guys who have an argument for the top-100, and Cam Reddish wouldn’t be far off either if he put things together as a 6’9 three-and-D stopper in his third season.


No. 48, Clint Capela, C
One of the best defensive centers in the NBA, Capela was the key cog in transforming the Hawks’ defense from a bad to above average. He led the NBA in rebounding to boot, and battled with the likes of Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez while remaining durable throughout a grueling postseason run.


No. 54, John Collins, F
Collins posted another strong season in 2020-21, earning a lucrative extension in the process. An improved defender, he finally earned the respect he deserves around the league with a very solid postseason.


No. 64, Bogdan Bogdanovic, G/F
Bogdanovic is coming off of the hottest shooting stretch of his career, shooting 45.5 from three on high volume after Mar. 1.

Jamaaliver wrote:

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shakes0 wrote:If Trae isn’t #2 we rioting!

NBA.com 2021-22 GM Survey

Following their run to the Eastern Conference Finals, the Hawks (50%) were overwhelmingly voted as the team with the best young core. The Rockets received three votes, while no other team got more than two.

Which team has the most promising young core?

1. Atlanta Hawks – 50%
2. Houston Rockets – 10%
3. Boston Celtics – 7%
4. Memphis Grizzlies – 7%
5. New Orleans Pelicans – 7%
6. Phoenix Suns – 7%

> Also receiving votes: Charlotte Hornets, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Minnesota Timberwolves
> Last year: New Orleans – 41%

Jamaaliver wrote:

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Jamaaliver wrote:

shakes0 wrote:If Trae isn’t #2 we rioting!

Looks like he's behind only Luka, Zion and Tatum.

Pretty good company to be in...

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