Atlanta Hawks: John Collins could be the key to a playoff push in 2019-20

Trae Young had a fantastic rookie season, but the key to the Atlanta Hawks making a real playoff push this season could fall on John Collins

Entering the 2018-19 season, the Atlanta Hawks needed Trae Young to hit. They needed him to be every bit the player that he showed he could be in college. And after getting off to a bit of a rocky start through the first three months of his rookie season, Young more than made up for it during the latter portion of his first season in the NBA.

Through the entire year, Young averaged 19 points and eight assists on 42 percent shooting from the field and 32 percent from 3-point range. Had it not been for Luka Doncic, who had an equally sensational decision himself, Young wins the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award.

Despite not coming away with the rookie hardware, Young was the hit that the Hawks hoped for. Just like that, Atlanta’s rebuild was officially headed in the right direction.

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As one of the dark horse playoff contenders in the Eastern Conference heading into the 2019-20 season, as expected, plenty of their chances at winning big – or even just decent enough to make the playoffs – in the East will fall on Young’s shoulders. At least that’s the perception; after all, everything begins with the team’s star player.

However, assuming that Young keeps up with his end of the bargain, the key to the Hawks’ playoff chances this season could fall on John Collins. Entering his third year, Collins is arguably the best player in the NBA that not your everyday, casual fan knows about.

Making a substantial jump from his rookie to his second season, Collins is coming off a season in which he averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds per game on 56 percent shooting from the field. However, perhaps the most impressive progression in Collins’ game came from the 3-point line.

During his rookie season, Collins averaged less than one 3-point attempt per game. During his sophomore season, that number ballooned to nearly three attempts per contest, and Collins was shooting a 35 percent clip on such shots.

Collins does a little of it all. He can clean the rim, attack the rim, is one of the biggest high-flyers in the league and can even stretch the defense. While there are still questions about his effectiveness on the defensive side of the ball, there’s no question that he’s transformed into a force on the offensive end.

If he can continue to refine his talent and raw basekball tools, he could continue to blossom into that second star that the team needs flanking Trae Young, who the team is hoping to slot into that superstar role sooner rather than later.

Not to mention the other young talent that the team already has on its roster. While the progression, and ability to contribute right away, of Cam Reddish and De’Andre Hunter could prove to be huge for the Hawks this season, the onus for the team making a real playoff push will fall on its veteran core players.

And, right now, that means the young dynamic duo of Trae Young and John Collins must deliver. Most believe that Young won’t miss a beat next season. That’s how impressive of a rookie season he’s coming off of. However, the key to the team taking the next step could fall on Collins.

If Collins can make another stride heading into his third season, it would be a huge shot in the arm for a team that could benefit from a true leader. Trae Young might be the flashiest of the team’s young stars, and will garner many of the headlines between now and the start of the season, but Atlanta’s potenital push for the playoffs falls on John Collins.