Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks’ rebranding as the Golden State Warriors East is ahead of schedule.
As unfair as these Stephen Curry comparisons may have seemed, Trae Young’s volatile post-All-Star stretch shows why they were created. The 20-year-old sharpshooter has rocketed around 26.1 points and 9.0 assists per game since intermission while hitting 2.9 triples each night at a 41.4 percent clip.
Then, there is fellow freshman Kevin Huerter doing a good belief of Curry’s sibling-in-splash, Klay Thompson. Since snagging a fulltime beginning gig in late November, Huerter has tallied 11.2 points and 2.1 threes per game while shooting 39.6 percent from distance. For comparison, the freshman edition of Thompson went for 12.5 points and 1.7 long-lived bombs while draining 41.4 percent outside.
John Collins may not match the Warriors’ mould, however, the second-year major man may be the ideal player about whom no one talks. He’s one of just nine subscribers averaging at least 19 points and nine rebounds, along with his leap since a three-point shooter (0.9 threes each night on a 37.7 percent clip) reveals there’s plenty of helium left his upside.
It’s tough to say how a number of other keepers are on the roster, though Taurean Prince and Omari Spellman both provide Golden State-style versatility at both ends. The fiscal books are mostly clean, save for Kent Bazemore’s $19.3 million player option and Miles Plumlee’s $12.5 million salary for next year. The Hawks may also collect as many as three extra first-rounders in the next several years.
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