Atlanta Hawks: 5 takeaways from 2017-18 Media Day

1. Plenty of excitement around John Collins

The Atlanta Hawks are committed to finding a place on the court for rookie John Collins, believing he can contribute in any kind of lineup.

Collins is expected to immediately become a factor in the pick-and-roll offense, as he proved to be an extremely effective post scorer and already possesses a reliable mid-range shot. In his sophomore season at Wake Forest, Collins shot 62.2 percent from the field, the second-highest percentage among players in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

One of the goals for the 19-year-old is becoming a legitimate threat from beyond the arc. If he is able to expand his shooting range to the 3-point line, he has the potential to thrive in any lineup.

The Hawks believe he has the ability to not only spend a significant amount of time at the power forward position, but enable coach Mike Budenhozler to shift him over to center, surrounding him with other potent shooters on the floor.

Next: Top 10 candidates for the 2017-18 NBA Rookie of the Year Award

Typically, players selected outside of the lottery aren’t expected to receive plenty of playing time, but with the power forward position wide open, and other opportunities in the lineup available, Collins could be a prime candidate for Rookie of the Year honors.