The Atlanta Hawks’ rebranding as the Golden State Warriors East is ahead of schedule.
As unfair as those Stephen Curry comparisons could have appeared, Trae Young’s explosive post-All-Star stretch shows why they were made. The 20-year-old sharpshooter has rocketed up to 26.1 points and 9.0 assists per game because intermission while hitting 2.9 triples each night in a 41.4 per clip.
Afterward, there is fellow freshman Kevin Huerter doing a good belief of Curry’s sibling-in-splash, Klay Thompson. Since snagging a full-time starting gig in late November, Huerter has tallied 11.2 points and 2.1 threes per game while shooting 39.6 percent from space. For comparison, the freshman edition of Thompson went for 12.5 points and 1.7 long-lived bombs while draining 41.4 percent out.
John Collins might not match the Warriors’ mould, but the second-year major man may be the best player about whom nobody speaks. He’s one of just nine subscribers averaging at least 19 points and nine rebounds, along with his jump as a three-point shooter (0.9 threes per night on a 37.7 percent clip) shows there’s lots of helium left his upside.
It’s hard to say how a number of other keepers are on the roster, though Taurean Prince and Omari Spellman both provide Golden State-style flexibility at both ends. The financial 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.
Read more: mlb-2019.com