LP sees the big picture with Hawks young core

[Jamaaliver]

What's Next for Every NBA Team Not Invited to Orlando

Atlanta Hawks


Trae Young is already one of the NBA's most talented and impactful offensive players. In addition to being ninth in the league in offensive box plus/minus this season, Young's 6.3 OBPM is the third-best mark of all time for a sophomore (Luka Doncic and LeBron James are Nos. 1 and 2, respectively).

John Collins is off to an excellent start to his NBA career as well. The third-year big man averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds in 33.2 minutes this season. Among the 342 times in NBA history that a player averaged at least 20 points and 10 rebounds, Collins' 2019-20 true shooting percentage ranks fourth (behind three Charles Barkley seasons).

And though Kevin Huerter, De'Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish have all shown flashes of potential, none of them are sure things. That makes their offseason development crucial.

Shooting should probably be the top priority for both Hunter and Reddish, as they were both far below the league-average mark for TS%. Huerter also needs to figure out how to get to the line. Among the 96 players who took at least 610 shots this season, Huerter's free-throw-attempt rate ranks 94th.

The draft will be important for the Hawks, too. Atlanta will have a 12.5 percent shot at the No. 1 pick and a 48.1 percent chance for a top-four pick. While this year's draft appears to lack franchise-changing talent at the top, the Hawks could find another promising complementary piece to plug in alongside Young and Collins.

If the Hawks are allowed to convene before the 2020-21 season begins, they'll also need to work on offensive sets for a frontcourt that includes both Collins and Clint Capela. The latter didn't fit the Houston Rockets' micro-ball philosophy, but he remains one of the game's more dynamic pick-and-roll weapons.

Alongside Young, a top-tier lob passer, Capela should continue to feast at the rim. And with Collins' expanding perimeter game (he shot 40.1 percent from three on 3.6 attempts per night), the paint shouldn't become too crowded.

Atlanta doesn't get to participate in the fun at Disney World, but plenty of excitement remains around this young core.

Bleacher Report

[Jamaaliver]

Read on Twitter

[Spud2nique]

Read on Twitter

I agree.

Others close:

Ja/Jjj
Zion+whoever
Luka+Zinger (I don’t fear zinger the way I did before tho)
Booker+ Ayton
Jokic+Murray

[Jamaaliver]

Atlanta Hawks enter offseason with growing up in mind

The Atlanta Hawks enter the offseason with growing up in mind and faith in All-Star Trae Young and a 'core five' of young players

The Hawks have obvious offseason goals, including adding depth to a young and still-developing roster while also focusing on the growth and development of a 'core five' that includes All-Star guard Trae Young, big man John Collins, wing player Kevin Huerter and rookies Cam Reddish and De'Andre Hunter.

Young is already a star, having been voted in as an All-Star starter in his second NBA season. Collins played at another level when he returned to action after serving a 25-game suspension for violating the league's anti-drug policy. Huerter, Hunter and Reddish all flashed signs of being building blocks, too.

That 'core five' doesn't include veteran center Clint Capela (who was acquired via Houston on February 5 but never suited up because of a foot injury) and rookie center Bruno Fernando. Those seven players will serve as the backbone of the team Atlanta fields once the 2020-21 season begins.

Spoiler:

Coach Lloyd Pierce is tasked with ensuring that group shows up to autumn training camp locked in on that growth mindset he is stressing. It is also what makes whatever the next phase of this offseason rebuilding plan crucial.

Pierce praised the development of Atlanta's young core and changes to the roster. He is also grateful for the veteran leadership and presence Capela and big man Dewayne Dedmon bring.

"We are extremely encouraged and excited about the guys that we have," Pierce said. "So we are on the path we have been talking about for a long time, building through the Draft and adding some veteran leadership and then, you know, looking forward what we will be able to do with our cap space and free agency over the next two summers is really encouraging.

Schlenk echoed Pierce's sentiments about the growth of the young core dating back to Collins' rookie season in 2017-18. The Hawks have also maintained their cap flexibility and draft assets, which sets them up for a bright future. But he also acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding this unprecedented offseason comes with concerns.

All told, the Hawks cannot afford an extended layoff that could stunt the continued growth of their youth.

"I think that is obviously a concern," Schlenk said. "One of the most important things for our guys is to continue to play. So being able to play in the summer - you know, pick-up games or Summer League's obviously not going to happen this year. All those things are important for young guys as they continue to get better."

NBA.com

[HMFFL]

Nearly 2 years later, do most Hawks fans still see this pairing as the long term future in the backcourt?

Read on Twitter

Coach wants Kevin to be more aggressive and I believe that needs to happen for him to be a Hawk longterm. When Trae sat with an injury Kevin was more of a focal point so we'll see how he approaches the game next season.

Sent from my SM-N975U using RealGM mobile app

[HMFFL]

Read on Twitter

I like the confidence!
I'm already excited for next season and this off-season that is months from now.

Sent from my SM-N975U using RealGM mobile app

[jayu70]

Read on Twitter

?s=20

1. Trae Young, G | 21 years old | Three years, $21.2 million. Last year team option

2019-20 stats: 29.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 43.7/36.1/86.0

Simply put, Young has developed into one of the most creative offensive forces in the NBA, regardless of age. The elite-level skill and production he showcased at Oklahoma — where he led the NCAA in both scoring and assists — have translated at basically the same level.  The individual numbers Young achieved in 2019-20 are pretty mind-boggling.He averaged 29.6 points and 9.3 assists on a pretty ridiculous 59.5 true-shooting percentage. The players who posted at least that many points per game total on that level of efficiency? It’s a veritable set of Hall of Famers that sprinkle the NBA’s all-time elite. Try these names on for size: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Larry Bird, Stephen Curry, Adrian Dantley, Kevin Durant, George Gervin, James Harden, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Bob McAdoo, Shaquille O’Neal and Kiki VanDeWeghe.


2. John Collins, F | 22 years old | Two years, $6.8 million

2019-20 stats: 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.6 blocks, 58.3/40.1/80.0

Similar to Young, Collins is something of a controversial building block because of his incredible offensive production and very real defensive question marks. Let’s start on that offense, though, because I’m not sure enough people have recognized just how intriguing Collins is on that end. There is a lot of Amar’e Stoudemire here to Young’s Steve Nash impression.

Collins is 22 and he’s coming off of a season in which he averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds on an obscene 65.9 true-shooting percentage. Similar to Young, his productivity has been genuinely special for his age. The list of players to have done what Collins did this year isn’t exactly long. It’s Collins and Charles Barkley. Heck, even reduce that down to 21 points and 10 rebounds on a 60 true-shooting percentage and you get Barkley and Collins with Kareem, Shaq, Karl-Anthony Towns, Moses Malone, Anthony Davis, Giannis, Dwight Howard, David Robinson, Karl Malone, Artis Gilmore and Wilt Chamberlain. That’s pretty outrageous for someone this young.

Spoiler:

3. Cam Reddish, W | 20 years old | Four years, $19.3 million, last two years team option

2019-20 stats: 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 38.4/33.2/80.2

Reddish had a fascinating year. He started the season getting a ton of minutes, but unfortunately was performing pretty darn close to unplayable during those minutes for the first half. And really, it’s not a massive surprise that there would be early struggles. Reddish was long seen as one of the elite prospects in his age group.

4. Kevin Huerter, W | 21 years old | Three years, $9.7 million, last year team option

2019-20 stats: 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 41.3/38.0/82.8

It’s difficult to evaluate Huerter’s second season. He had an early-season knee injury that held him out of training camp, then a shoulder injury that held him out for the start of the year, and then he dealt with various hip and groin injuries that gave him discomfort as he tried to play through them. It’s probably not unfair to sort of throw this season away from a developmental standpoint.

At the end of the day, Huerter had basically the same season as a sophomore as he did as a rookie. Honestly, given everything he went through, that speaks well of him. He averaged 14 points per 36 minutes a year after averaging 12.8. He saw very minimal increases across the board in terms of rebounds and assists. His true-shooting percentage was 53.6 as a rookie, and 53.9 as a sophomore. His assist rate and turnover rate was very similar. Basically, Huerter was the same floor-spacing, smart decision-making, perimeter-oriented 2-guard. Plus, if you take his averages from Jan. 1 onward, after he took December to readjust coming back from his shoulder injury, you might come away thinking this was a slight step forward. In that time, he averaged nearly 14 points per game while shooting 40 percent from 3, and averaged 4.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

5.  De’Andre Hunter, W/F | 22 years old | Four years, $32.1 million, last two years team option

2019-20 stats: 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 41.0/35.5/76.4

Hunter’s rookie season was weird, and yet his value was likely as expected. The weirdness came from his strengths entering the draft not totally bearing themselves out. However, his potential flaws were figured out in a real, tangible way that inspires some confidence long-term. Overall, Hunter established himself as a solid, steady rotational player, having played more minutes this season than any other rookie in the league.

But things weren’t perfect. Leaving Virginia after being the best player on a national title team, Hunter was renowned for his defensive ability. At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-2 wingspan, he was a switchable monster capable of taking on a real variety of tough defensive assignments. At the collegiate level, he was one of the best on-ball defenders I’ve evaluated in a while, and did his job rotationally off the ball on defense despite not forcing a ton of turnovers. But with the Hawks this season, while he took on a wide variety of defensive assignments, he wasn’t quite as effective as expected. Maybe too much was asked, and it’s unfair to compare him to Reddish, who stood out on that end. But Hunter was basically the average to above-average rookie defensive wing, struggling a bit to adjust to the increased pace and speed of the NBA game. He knew where to be, but often got beat.

[Radioblacktive1]

Man...we really shouldn’t have given up all those picks for Hunter

[graymule]

All of us, except for Travis, have forgotten all about Skal Labissiere. Like our coming draft pick, we don't really know how they will fit with our young crew. Just two more of our crew !!

[jayu70]

NBA Rookie Scale Prospects Ranking: The top 50 prospects

5 Hawks in top 50

5. Trae Young | 21 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 29.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 43.7/36.1/86.0

Simply put, Young has developed into one of the most creative offensive forces in the NBA, regardless of age. … He averaged 29.6 points and 9.3 assists on a pretty ridiculous 59.5 true-shooting percentage. The players who posted at least that many points per game total on that level of efficiency? It’s a veritable set of Hall of Famers, guys who sprinkle the NBA’s all-time elite. Try these names on for size: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Larry Bird, Stephen Curry, Adrian Dantley, Kevin Durant, George Gervin, James Harden, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Bob McAdoo, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kiki Vandeweghe. That’s 14 guys, 13 of whom are Hall of Famers or future Hall of Famers, plus Vandeweghe, who did it in one of the insanely uptempo Doug Moe seasons in Denver, where the Nuggets posted a pace that was absurdly nine possessions above the league average per game. And the number of players to post that scoring combination while also averaging nine assists? How about just Young this season and Harden in 2017? … To complain about what he’s accomplished at this point would be missing the forest for the trees.

20. John Collins, F | 22 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.6 blocks, 58.3/40.1/80.0

Similarly to Young, Collins is something of a controversial building block due to his incredible offensive production and very real defensive question marks. Let’s start on that offense, though, because I’m not sure enough people have recognized just how intriguing Collins is on that end. There is a lot of Amar’e Stoudemire here to Young’s Steve Nash impression. Collins is 22 and he’s coming off of a season in which he averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds on an obscene 65.9 true-shooting percentage. His productivity has been genuinely special for his age. The list of players to have done what Collins did this year isn’t exactly long. It’s Collins and Charles Barkley. Heck, even reduce that down to 21 points and 10 rebounds on a 60 true-shooting percentage and you get Barkley and Collins with Kareem, Shaq, Karl-Anthony Towns, Moses Malone, Anthony Davis, Giannis, Dwight Howard, David Robinson, Karl Malone, Artis Gilmore and Wilt Chamberlain. That’s pretty outrageous for someone this young.

Spoiler:

28. Cam Reddish, W | 20 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 38.4/33.2/80.2

Reddish had a fascinating year. He started the season getting a ton of minutes, but unfortunately was performing pretty darn close to unplayable during those minutes for the first half. And really, it’s not a massive surprise that there would be early struggles. … Off the bat, I thought Reddish was actually pretty solid on defense. … The bigger questions came on offense early on. Reddish went through a disastrous, prolonged shooting slump to begin his career, the likes of which I can’t really remember from a top 10 pick. Through his first 32 games (basically the entirety of the 2019 portion of the season), he shot a terrible 31.8 percent from the field and 26 percent from 3. His assist-to-turnover ratio was quite negative. Everything looked like it was moving way too fast for him. … But then a funny thing happened: Reddish started to figure things out. He looked a lot more comfortable on the court. The shot didn’t look as sped up and it started falling at a rate more commensurate with how clean his mechanics look.

36. Kevin Huerter, W | 21 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 41.3/38.0/82.8

It’s difficult to evaluate Huerter’s second season. He had an early season knee injury that held him out of training camp, then a shoulder injury that held him out for the start of the year, and then he dealt with various hip and groin injuries that gave him discomfort as he tried to play through them. It’s probably not unfair to sort of throw this season away from a developmental standpoint. … Above all, he remains a monster shooter off the catch. Among the 162 players league wide to take at least 100 catch-and-shoot shots, Huerter was 14th in terms of efficiency with a 64.3 effective field goal percentage, and again that came in a year where he navigated a shoulder injury that held him to 32.4 percent from 3 in December as he played his way back into shape. Huerter is going to develop into one of the league’s elite level shooters. Like the kind of shooter who has a chance to win a 3-point contest someday.

39. De’Andre Hunter, W/F | 22 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 41.0/35.5/76.4

Hunter’s rookie season was weird, and yet his value was likely as expected. The weirdness came from his strengths entering the draft not totally bearing themselves out. However, his potential flaws were figured out in a real, tangible way that inspires some confidence long-term. Overall, Hunter established himself as a solid, steady rotational player, having played more minutes this season than any other rookie in the league … while I think the defense was slightly worse than I expected, his offense was better. Hunter hit 35.5 percent from 3 on nearly five attempts per game, which is a great starting point for him as a rookie on such high volume. In the last decade, only 10 other rookies have made that percentage on at least 300 attempted 3s, and the only really questionable long-term shooter among the players on that list is Kyle Kuzma. There is a real track record for guys who experience this type of success early on.

https://theathletic.com/1860883/2020/06/25/nba-rookie-scale-prospects-ranking-the-top-50-prospects/

[shakes0]

NBA Rookie Scale Prospects Ranking: The top 50 prospects

5 Hawks in top 50

5. Trae Young | 21 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 29.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 43.7/36.1/86.0

Simply put, Young has developed into one of the most creative offensive forces in the NBA, regardless of age. … He averaged 29.6 points and 9.3 assists on a pretty ridiculous 59.5 true-shooting percentage. The players who posted at least that many points per game total on that level of efficiency? It’s a veritable set of Hall of Famers, guys who sprinkle the NBA’s all-time elite. Try these names on for size: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Larry Bird, Stephen Curry, Adrian Dantley, Kevin Durant, George Gervin, James Harden, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Bob McAdoo, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kiki Vandeweghe. That’s 14 guys, 13 of whom are Hall of Famers or future Hall of Famers, plus Vandeweghe, who did it in one of the insanely uptempo Doug Moe seasons in Denver, where the Nuggets posted a pace that was absurdly nine possessions above the league average per game. And the number of players to post that scoring combination while also averaging nine assists? How about just Young this season and Harden in 2017? … To complain about what he’s accomplished at this point would be missing the forest for the trees.

20. John Collins, F | 22 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.6 blocks, 58.3/40.1/80.0

Similarly to Young, Collins is something of a controversial building block due to his incredible offensive production and very real defensive question marks. Let’s start on that offense, though, because I’m not sure enough people have recognized just how intriguing Collins is on that end. There is a lot of Amar’e Stoudemire here to Young’s Steve Nash impression. Collins is 22 and he’s coming off of a season in which he averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds on an obscene 65.9 true-shooting percentage. His productivity has been genuinely special for his age. The list of players to have done what Collins did this year isn’t exactly long. It’s Collins and Charles Barkley. Heck, even reduce that down to 21 points and 10 rebounds on a 60 true-shooting percentage and you get Barkley and Collins with Kareem, Shaq, Karl-Anthony Towns, Moses Malone, Anthony Davis, Giannis, Dwight Howard, David Robinson, Karl Malone, Artis Gilmore and Wilt Chamberlain. That’s pretty outrageous for someone this young.

Spoiler:

28. Cam Reddish, W | 20 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 38.4/33.2/80.2

Reddish had a fascinating year. He started the season getting a ton of minutes, but unfortunately was performing pretty darn close to unplayable during those minutes for the first half. And really, it’s not a massive surprise that there would be early struggles. … Off the bat, I thought Reddish was actually pretty solid on defense. … The bigger questions came on offense early on. Reddish went through a disastrous, prolonged shooting slump to begin his career, the likes of which I can’t really remember from a top 10 pick. Through his first 32 games (basically the entirety of the 2019 portion of the season), he shot a terrible 31.8 percent from the field and 26 percent from 3. His assist-to-turnover ratio was quite negative. Everything looked like it was moving way too fast for him. … But then a funny thing happened: Reddish started to figure things out. He looked a lot more comfortable on the court. The shot didn’t look as sped up and it started falling at a rate more commensurate with how clean his mechanics look.

36. Kevin Huerter, W | 21 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 41.3/38.0/82.8

It’s difficult to evaluate Huerter’s second season. He had an early season knee injury that held him out of training camp, then a shoulder injury that held him out for the start of the year, and then he dealt with various hip and groin injuries that gave him discomfort as he tried to play through them. It’s probably not unfair to sort of throw this season away from a developmental standpoint. … Above all, he remains a monster shooter off the catch. Among the 162 players league wide to take at least 100 catch-and-shoot shots, Huerter was 14th in terms of efficiency with a 64.3 effective field goal percentage, and again that came in a year where he navigated a shoulder injury that held him to 32.4 percent from 3 in December as he played his way back into shape. Huerter is going to develop into one of the league’s elite level shooters. Like the kind of shooter who has a chance to win a 3-point contest someday.

39. De’Andre Hunter, W/F | 22 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 41.0/35.5/76.4

Hunter’s rookie season was weird, and yet his value was likely as expected. The weirdness came from his strengths entering the draft not totally bearing themselves out. However, his potential flaws were figured out in a real, tangible way that inspires some confidence long-term. Overall, Hunter established himself as a solid, steady rotational player, having played more minutes this season than any other rookie in the league … while I think the defense was slightly worse than I expected, his offense was better. Hunter hit 35.5 percent from 3 on nearly five attempts per game, which is a great starting point for him as a rookie on such high volume. In the last decade, only 10 other rookies have made that percentage on at least 300 attempted 3s, and the only really questionable long-term shooter among the players on that list is Kyle Kuzma. There is a real track record for guys who experience this type of success early on.

https://theathletic.com/1860883/2020/06/25/nba-rookie-scale-prospects-ranking-the-top-50-prospects/

can you post the rest of the list for those of us who don't want to give the Athletic any money? I'd like to know who they had above Trae. Obviously Luka and Zion, but who are the other 2?

[Nathan2331]

NBA Rookie Scale Prospects Ranking: The top 50 prospects

5 Hawks in top 50

5. Trae Young | 21 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 29.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 9.3 assists, 1.1 steals, 43.7/36.1/86.0

Simply put, Young has developed into one of the most creative offensive forces in the NBA, regardless of age. … He averaged 29.6 points and 9.3 assists on a pretty ridiculous 59.5 true-shooting percentage. The players who posted at least that many points per game total on that level of efficiency? It’s a veritable set of Hall of Famers, guys who sprinkle the NBA’s all-time elite. Try these names on for size: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Larry Bird, Stephen Curry, Adrian Dantley, Kevin Durant, George Gervin, James Harden, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Bob McAdoo, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kiki Vandeweghe. That’s 14 guys, 13 of whom are Hall of Famers or future Hall of Famers, plus Vandeweghe, who did it in one of the insanely uptempo Doug Moe seasons in Denver, where the Nuggets posted a pace that was absurdly nine possessions above the league average per game. And the number of players to post that scoring combination while also averaging nine assists? How about just Young this season and Harden in 2017? … To complain about what he’s accomplished at this point would be missing the forest for the trees.

20. John Collins, F | 22 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.6 blocks, 58.3/40.1/80.0

Similarly to Young, Collins is something of a controversial building block due to his incredible offensive production and very real defensive question marks. Let’s start on that offense, though, because I’m not sure enough people have recognized just how intriguing Collins is on that end. There is a lot of Amar’e Stoudemire here to Young’s Steve Nash impression. Collins is 22 and he’s coming off of a season in which he averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds on an obscene 65.9 true-shooting percentage. His productivity has been genuinely special for his age. The list of players to have done what Collins did this year isn’t exactly long. It’s Collins and Charles Barkley. Heck, even reduce that down to 21 points and 10 rebounds on a 60 true-shooting percentage and you get Barkley and Collins with Kareem, Shaq, Karl-Anthony Towns, Moses Malone, Anthony Davis, Giannis, Dwight Howard, David Robinson, Karl Malone, Artis Gilmore and Wilt Chamberlain. That’s pretty outrageous for someone this young.

Spoiler:

28. Cam Reddish, W | 20 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, 38.4/33.2/80.2

Reddish had a fascinating year. He started the season getting a ton of minutes, but unfortunately was performing pretty darn close to unplayable during those minutes for the first half. And really, it’s not a massive surprise that there would be early struggles. … Off the bat, I thought Reddish was actually pretty solid on defense. … The bigger questions came on offense early on. Reddish went through a disastrous, prolonged shooting slump to begin his career, the likes of which I can’t really remember from a top 10 pick. Through his first 32 games (basically the entirety of the 2019 portion of the season), he shot a terrible 31.8 percent from the field and 26 percent from 3. His assist-to-turnover ratio was quite negative. Everything looked like it was moving way too fast for him. … But then a funny thing happened: Reddish started to figure things out. He looked a lot more comfortable on the court. The shot didn’t look as sped up and it started falling at a rate more commensurate with how clean his mechanics look.

36. Kevin Huerter, W | 21 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 41.3/38.0/82.8

It’s difficult to evaluate Huerter’s second season. He had an early season knee injury that held him out of training camp, then a shoulder injury that held him out for the start of the year, and then he dealt with various hip and groin injuries that gave him discomfort as he tried to play through them. It’s probably not unfair to sort of throw this season away from a developmental standpoint. … Above all, he remains a monster shooter off the catch. Among the 162 players league wide to take at least 100 catch-and-shoot shots, Huerter was 14th in terms of efficiency with a 64.3 effective field goal percentage, and again that came in a year where he navigated a shoulder injury that held him to 32.4 percent from 3 in December as he played his way back into shape. Huerter is going to develop into one of the league’s elite level shooters. Like the kind of shooter who has a chance to win a 3-point contest someday.

39. De’Andre Hunter, W/F | 22 years old | Atlanta Hawks

2019-20 stats: 12.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 41.0/35.5/76.4

Hunter’s rookie season was weird, and yet his value was likely as expected. The weirdness came from his strengths entering the draft not totally bearing themselves out. However, his potential flaws were figured out in a real, tangible way that inspires some confidence long-term. Overall, Hunter established himself as a solid, steady rotational player, having played more minutes this season than any other rookie in the league … while I think the defense was slightly worse than I expected, his offense was better. Hunter hit 35.5 percent from 3 on nearly five attempts per game, which is a great starting point for him as a rookie on such high volume. In the last decade, only 10 other rookies have made that percentage on at least 300 attempted 3s, and the only really questionable long-term shooter among the players on that list is Kyle Kuzma. There is a real track record for guys who experience this type of success early on.

https://theathletic.com/1860883/2020/06/25/nba-rookie-scale-prospects-ranking-the-top-50-prospects/

can you post the rest of the list for those of us who don't want to give the Athletic any money? I'd like to know who they had above Trae. Obviously Luka and Zion, but who are the other 2?

Jayson Tatum and Ben Simmons

[Jamaaliver]

Luka at #1, but Trae and Cam both on the list...with Trae ahead of Ja and Zion?

I love it.

Ranking the Top 10 NBA Stars 21 and Under

2. Trae Young

Spoiler:

Trae Young is already an offensive superstar.

He's averaging 29.6 points, 9.3 assists and 3.4 threes per game. His 6.3 offensive box plus/minus is tied for the sixth-highest ever for a player in an age-21 (or younger) season. And the Atlanta Hawks offense goes from just above average to abysmal when he leaves the floor.

The criticisms of his defense are fair, but his deficiencies there come nowhere near outweighing what he brings on the other end of the floor.

Young is already at or near the top of the league in terms of his vision. He seems to know exactly where each of his four teammates is at all times, and he has a willingness to move the ball that has led to 17.3 potential assists per game (second to LeBron James).

It's a small thing, but the little hop you'll notice from Young when his receivers finish off a dime with a dunk says a lot too. This is a player who genuinely enjoys getting his teammates easy looks.

That, of course, is a stylistic touch. Logistically, his range as both a shooter and passer opens up the floor for Atlanta.

He's second in the league in shots made from 30 feet and out, and he's not just putting up field-goal attempts from out there. If a teammate is open, Young is able to hit him from well beyond the three-point line.

If he ever becomes even average as a defender, Young will be a staple on All-NBA teams.

8. Kevin Huerter

Spoiler:

His career 38.3 three-point percentage may be the most exciting number on the stat sheet, but Kevin Huerter is more than just a shooter.

He's averaging 4.2 assists per 75 possessions this season, and he's second among Hawks in possessions used as a pick-and-roll ball-handler.

He may never be a lockdown defender, but he's big enough (6'7") to cause some problems. His emerging point forward game should help him be a net positive.

10. Cam Reddish

Spoiler:

Cam Reddish's season-long numbers aren't likely to blow many away, but that's an indicator of the aforementioned learning curve. Once he settled into his role with the Atlanta Hawks, Reddish found a nice rhythm.

Since the calendar turned to 2020 (27 games), he has averaged 13.3 points, 1.9 threes and 1.1 steals while shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from three.

In the same stretch, Atlanta's net rating is 6.2 points better with the budding three-and-D wing on the floor.

Bleacher Report

[jayu70]

Luka at #1, but Trae and Cam both on the list...with Trae ahead of Ja and Zion?

I love it.

Ranking the Top 10 NBA Stars 21 and Under

2. Trae Young

Spoiler:

Trae Young is already an offensive superstar.

He's averaging 29.6 points, 9.3 assists and 3.4 threes per game. His 6.3 offensive box plus/minus is tied for the sixth-highest ever for a player in an age-21 (or younger) season. And the Atlanta Hawks offense goes from just above average to abysmal when he leaves the floor.

The criticisms of his defense are fair, but his deficiencies there come nowhere near outweighing what he brings on the other end of the floor.

Young is already at or near the top of the league in terms of his vision. He seems to know exactly where each of his four teammates is at all times, and he has a willingness to move the ball that has led to 17.3 potential assists per game (second to LeBron James).

It's a small thing, but the little hop you'll notice from Young when his receivers finish off a dime with a dunk says a lot too. This is a player who genuinely enjoys getting his teammates easy looks.

That, of course, is a stylistic touch. Logistically, his range as both a shooter and passer opens up the floor for Atlanta.

He's second in the league in shots made from 30 feet and out, and he's not just putting up field-goal attempts from out there. If a teammate is open, Young is able to hit him from well beyond the three-point line.

If he ever becomes even average as a defender, Young will be a staple on All-NBA teams.

8. Kevin Huerter

Spoiler:

His career 38.3 three-point percentage may be the most exciting number on the stat sheet, but Kevin Huerter is more than just a shooter.

He's averaging 4.2 assists per 75 possessions this season, and he's second among Hawks in possessions used as a pick-and-roll ball-handler.

He may never be a lockdown defender, but he's big enough (6'7") to cause some problems. His emerging point forward game should help him be a net positive.

10. Cam Reddish

Spoiler:

Cam Reddish's season-long numbers aren't likely to blow many away, but that's an indicator of the aforementioned learning curve. Once he settled into his role with the Atlanta Hawks, Reddish found a nice rhythm.

Since the calendar turned to 2020 (27 games), he has averaged 13.3 points, 1.9 threes and 1.1 steals while shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from three.

In the same stretch, Atlanta's net rating is 6.2 points better with the budding three-and-D wing on the floor.

Bleacher Report

[jayu70]

Interesting stuff!

Watch on YouTube

[Jamaaliver]

John Collins has aged off this list...though 23 has always seemed like a random cut off age.

B/R's Under-23 NBA Fantasy Draft

5. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
Trae Young isn't the only one-way player in the NBA, but he's by far the most fascinating.

For starters, the canyon between his offensive gifts and defensive liabilities is as wide as can be. ESPN's real plus-minus ranked him as 2019-20's second-best offensive player and worst defender. Last season, he was 21st in offense and again dead last on defense.

Experience might help with Young's defense, but there's a cap on his growth. He's undersized (6'1", 180 lbs), he's not particularly athletic, and he has trouble staying engaged defensively. That he can still go fifth in this exercise highlights how incredible he is on offense—fourth in scoring, second in assists—though his ball-dominance does demand a certain type of supporting cast be constructed around him.

"Building a playoff team around Young is both an alluring and confounding architectural challenge," ESPN's Kirk Goldsberry wrote. "On one hand, you have to surround him with off-ball offensive threats that open the floor. Then you also need a fleet of defensive talent to compensate for his tremendous limitations."

Young's talent is overwhelming, though, so you take it here and count on your front office being able to build a functional group around him.

26. Kevin Huerter, Atlanta Hawks
Huerter has done a decent job handling the Klay Thompson role for "Warriors East," at least as far as being a good shooter (career 38.3 percent from three) with size (6'7"). But he lacks Thompson's defensive versatility, and that makes it trickier to treat him as more than a specialist. There's absolutely still a spot for a three-point sniper with some secondary distributing touch, but it's not the most valuable role around.

27. Cam Reddish, Atlanta Hawks
If you caught the first few months of Reddish's career, you wouldn't believe he'd even get a mention in this discussion. If you tuned in only for the final stretch of his rookie season—say, when he averaged 14.6 points on 47.0/41.7/82.7 shooting over his last 21 outings—you couldn't imagine how he's not in the top 15.

That should make this placement just right, then, accounting for both his two-way potential and the fact he may never realize it.

Bleacher Report

[Jamaaliver]

This is the last offseason where the decisions are this simple and obvious. Things will get more complicated next summer when Trae and Huerter are each up for rookie contract extensions.

Read on Twitter

[Jamaaliver]

Young Core Rankings

Who has the brightest future in the NBA? We ranked each team’s collection of under-25 players based on their projections through the next half-decade



4. Atlanta Hawks

WAR: 111.7
Best under-25 players: Trae Young (42.9), John Collins (15.8), Onyeka Okongwu (13.5)
Last year’s rank: 9th

Here is the list of U25 players projected for more value over the next five seasons than Young: Doncic and Jayson Tatum. That’s the whole list. Because even though the slight 6-foot-1 guard registers as one of the worst defenders in the league, he is also a transcendent offensive talent. It’s not just that Young averaged 29.6 points and 9.3 assists last season, or that he boosted his 3-point accuracy to league average while taking so many challenging shots. It’s that Young did all that even before the Hawks surrounded him with legitimate NBA scorers. Last season, Atlanta scored 111.2 points per 100 possessions with Young on the court and a ghastly 95.7 per 100 with him off.

While Atlanta attempted to jump-start its rebuild by adding veterans Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Clint Capela, the team still has plenty of long-term promise behind Young. Collins and Okongwu are athletic bigs, and at least one member of the wing trio of Cam Reddish (12.2 projected WAR), Kevin Huerter (10.3), and De’Andre Hunter (7.7) should pop. The overarching question is how well those players can all fit together once they mature, and what kinds of players fit best next to Young.

The Ringer

[tbhawksfan1]

Young Core Rankings

Who has the brightest future in the NBA? We ranked each team’s collection of under-25 players based on their projections through the next half-decade



4. Atlanta Hawks

WAR: 111.7
Best under-25 players: Trae Young (42.9), John Collins (15.8), Onyeka Okongwu (13.5)
Last year’s rank: 9th

Here is the list of U25 players projected for more value over the next five seasons than Young: Doncic and Jayson Tatum. That’s the whole list. Because even though the slight 6-foot-1 guard registers as one of the worst defenders in the league, he is also a transcendent offensive talent. It’s not just that Young averaged 29.6 points and 9.3 assists last season, or that he boosted his 3-point accuracy to league average while taking so many challenging shots. It’s that Young did all that even before the Hawks surrounded him with legitimate NBA scorers. Last season, Atlanta scored 111.2 points per 100 possessions with Young on the court and a ghastly 95.7 per 100 with him off.

While Atlanta attempted to jump-start its rebuild by adding veterans Danilo Gallinari, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Clint Capela, the team still has plenty of long-term promise behind Young. Collins and Okongwu are athletic bigs, and at least one member of the wing trio of Cam Reddish (12.2 projected WAR), Kevin Huerter (10.3), and De’Andre Hunter (7.7) should pop. The overarching question is how well those players can all fit together once they mature, and what kinds of players fit best next to Young.

The Ringer

Way under-rating Hunter. Need to at least double that

[tbhawksfan1]

Loved that inbounds lob dunk from Trae to Knight. Made LP look real good