NBA Rumors: 3 bold predictions for Atlanta Hawks' 2021 NBA off-season
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.