Atlanta Hawks: 2017-18 player grades for John Collins

The Atlanta Hawks endured a rocky 2017-18 season. Rookie center John Collins was one of their bright spots for the team.

For a rebuilding team like the Atlanta Hawks, identifying and cultivating young talent is paramount to their success. After all, these players could ultimately determine the trajectory of the franchise. Whether the player a blue-chip prospect or a “project,” the time that teams devote to developing these players often proves to be the difference between the contenders and the lottery teams.

While the Hawks still have a long way to go to reach contention, the may found one good young piece in big man John Collins. Selected 19th overall in the 2017 draft, Collins was primarily known as a great athlete that needed to refine several aspects of his game. While that scouting report turned out to be true, the Hawks accentuated his strengths and it led to a productive rookie season for the youngster.

In many ways, one could argue that Collins was the Hawks’ best player this year. On a team that went 24-58, however, that isn’t saying much. Nevertheless, Collins proved to be a dependable starter for then-head coach Mike Budenholzer.

How dependable was he? What does he need to work on? Is he a future part of the Hawks’ long-term plans? Well, a deeper analysis of Collins’ season should provide the answers.