Trouble appears to be brewing within the Atlanta Hawks organization. It comes in the form of John Collins allegedly questioning the franchise's direction in terms of naming Trae Young as the squad's cornerstone superstar.
As reported by Chris Kirschner and Sam Amick of The Athletic, Collins is allegedly unhappy with how Young has emerged as the true centerpiece of the franchise:
According to three sources who were either in the session or had knowledge of what was said, Collins raised several issues about the way these Hawks were functioning with Young at the helm.
This can't be good. The Hawks had a tremendous start to the 2020-21 season, winning four out of their first five games, including a 114-96 victory over the Brooklyn Nets. Atlanta has since gone on a three-game losing streak, and this recent development involving Collins serves as another blow for the suddenly struggling Hawks.
According to the report, Collins raised his concerns during Atlanta's film session following the Hawks' defeat to the New York Knicks — a game wherein they blew a 15-point second-half advantage — on Monday.
For his part, Young has been one of the best players in the entire league early in the season. So much so, that the 22-year-old has forced himself into the way-too-early MVP conversation. He's undeniably one of the fastest rising stars in the NBA today and is looking like a legitimate cornerstone stud. We now know how Collins (allegedly) feels about that notion, though. To his credit, Young has been extremely turnover-prone at times and has shortcomings of his own that he still needs to overcome.
Atlanta return to action on Saturday in a matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, and it will be interesting to see what type of chemistry this team will show on the court following these recent developments.
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