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This season, the Atlanta Hawks were two wins shy of reaching the NBA Finals for the first time since 1961. It was a memorable season for the young team who will now look to bolster their ranks to have another go at the NBA Finals next season.
Trae Young was the captain of the Atlanta Hawks' ship, as he led them to key victories in the 2021 NBA playoffs. Although they finished fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, they successfully knocked out the no. 1 seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semi-finals before falling to eventual champions Milwaukee Bucks.
Looking at the Atlanta Hawks team, there is not much that needs changing. However, the front office will need to find a way to inject new energy into the team. The best way to do that would be through the acquisition of perhaps one elite player.
The Atlanta Hawks have started to make changes to their roster. They were part of a three-way trade involving the Boston Celtics and the Sacramento Kings. Kris Dunn and Bruno Fernando were sent to the Celtics, with Tristan Thompson heading to Sacramento and Delon Wright joining the Hawks. Although the deal will only be valid from August 6 after the NBA lifts their moratorium, the Hawks have started to build their backcourt depth.
With the 2021 NBA off-season in progress, here are three bold predictions for the Atlanta Hawks:
#1 The Atlanta Hawks will re-sign John Collins
In the 2020 off-season, John Collins was offered a $90 million contract extension, but he turned that down. As a result, Collins will be a restricted free agent this summer, and the Atlanta Hawks will have the opportunity to match whatever offer comes for him.
The 23-year-old forward has made it clear he wants a max deal, as he believes he is worthy of one. However, offering John a max deal will put the Atlanta Hawks in a difficult position financially.
Although re-signing Collins would create a deep hole in the Atlanta Hawks' purse, it would be unwise to let him go, considering how impactful he was for them during the 2021 NBA playoffs. Athletic big men do not come easy these days in the NBA, which is why several teams would be waiting to swoop him if the Hawks fail to reach an agreement with Collins for the second consecutive off-season.
#2 The Atlanta Hawks will hold on to Cam Reddish
On draft day, rumors circulated that the Atlanta Hawks were willing to deal Cam Reddish and their 20th overall pick to the Golden State Warriors to move up the NBA Draft. But that did not come to fruition, as the Hawks selected Jalen Johnson.
Reddish, who was sidelined for the better part of the season, was missed. The 21-year-old has been likened to Paul George, as he is an efficient scorer. In defense, the Atlanta Hawks do not have a better perimeter defender.
Trading an already established talent for a prospect would have been unwise. His showings in the 2021 NBA playoffs is a testament to his potential if he manages to stay healthy.
As things stand, there is no ideal scenario where trading Reddish would be of benefit to the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks have built their team around a young core, and Reddish fits in perfectly. His tally of 11.2 points, four rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.3 steals in only 26 appearances show how impactful he can be.
#3 The Atlanta Hawks will allow Tony Snell to walk away
Tony Snell ended the 2020-21 NBA season with a three-point shooting percentage of .569 during the regular season. However, the marksman failed to find his range during the playoffs, going 2 of 16 in nine games, knocking down only one three-point shot in 11 tries.
With such poor production at crucial moments, there is no point re-signing the veteran, who earned $12 million in the 2020-21 season. It was a disappointing run for the Atlanta Hawks' backup shooting guard, as he averaged 5.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists despite making 23 starts.
Snell was perfect from the charity stripe for the Atlanta Hawks last season, but his poor displays were noticeable. Although the percentages narrate a story, they do not tell the entire one.
Snell's impeccable three-point percentage was a result of him being a low-volume shooter, attempting only 2.3 shots per game. The same goes for his free-throw shooting, as he made only 11 attempts the entire season.
The cap space that will come with Snell's departure will help the Atlanta Hawks retain Collins or target another shooter that might be more impactful for them.
Guess the Lakers players!
