The Atlanta Hawks, led by Trae Young, have definitely underperformed since shocking the world by making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. The Hawks saw it fit to shake up their roster with the addition of All-Star guard Dejounte Murray to try and bolster their 26th ranked defense last season that proved to be too difficult to overcome as they scuffled to a play-in spot. However, Murray's addition hasn't taken the Hawks to the level they hoped to reach this season.

Following a stellar 21-22 offensive campaign as a team where they ranked 2nd in points scored per 100 possessions, they have fallen all the way to 22nd this season. Their poor three-point shooting has been a major culprit in that regard; they rank 29th in the entire NBA in three-point makes and rank 24th in percentage.

In addition, despite having two of the best playmakers in the NBA, the Hawks rank 29th in the league in assist percentage. Simply put, their offense just isn't as free-flowing as it once was. This is something they will have to remedy as the season progresses. Thankfully for them, they still have plenty of trade assets to dangle, none more prominent than John Collins, to make the Hawks' puzzle fit more seamlessly than it does at the moment.

Here are three players the Hawks must move with the 2023 NBA trade deadline fast approaching.

John Collins

John Collins, drafted 19th overall by the Hawks in 2017, had a breakout 2019-20 campaign following his 25-game PED suspension. During that campaign, the highflying forward averaged a stellar 21.6 points and 10.5 rebounds a night on an incredible 58.3 percent shooting from the field and 40.1 percent from deep. Simply put, he looked like the perfect co-star to a pick-and-roll ballhandler such as Trae Young, and at age 22, the sky appeared to be the limit even if his showing at the 2019 Slam Dunk contest wasn't the most impressive.

In fact, Collins had been drawing comparisons to Amar'e Stoudemire; that's how good he was. Sure, it did not translate at all to the win column for the Hawks, as they finished the '19-'20 campaign with one of the worst records still in the league. But the foundation for a future All-Star duo was right there in Atlanta.

However, no one could have foreseen that that would be the best season of his career still, three years later.

The addition of Clint Capela has forced John Collins away from the basket during the ensuing seasons, with his offensive numbers taking a hit as a result. Since that stellar 19-20 campaign, it has all gone downhill for Collins. He has seen his raw scoring numbers decline, his shooting percentages atrophy, and his usage rate take a huge tumble.

As a result, Collins is suffering through the worst season of his professional career since his rookie campaign. His three-point shot, which has always been solid, has deserted him thus far this season; through 36 games, he is shooting a ghastly 22.8 percent from deep. Simply put, he is playing at a level far below what the Hawks expected out of him when they locked him up to a five-year, $125 million deal that runs until 2026.

With Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu entrenched as the Hawks' centers for the foreseeable future, this team just doesn't look like the right fit for Collins. Thus, it might be for Collins' best if the Hawks part ways with the 6'9 highflyer. And to the Hawks' credit, they reportedly appear willing to move Collins for the low price of not even a first-rounder, but just one quality player. For a team looking to buy low on a potential 20-10 guy, pursuing a trade may very well be worth it.

Jalen Johnson

Drafted for his positional defensive versatility, Jalen Johnson has finally earned himself a few minutes off the Hawks bench, even making the occasional start when the Hawks' usual rotation guys are out due to injury. A small forward/power forward hybrid by trade, Johnson has even played the five for stretches, which speaks volumes to his potential as a swiss-army knife, particularly defensively.

However, the Hawks expedited their contending timeline following their trade for Dejounte Murray. They may not have the time to wait for Johnson to develop his offensive game; at the moment, Johnson is extremely raw on the offensive end, and his three-point shot hasn't developed as quickly as the Hawks hoped it would.

The Hawks will be in no rush to trade away the 21-year old forward out of Duke. But fans shouldn't be surprised if the Hawks end up dangling him as trade bait, perhaps towards a rebuilding team that could afford him the opportunities to spread his wings that simply won't be available for him in Atlanta.

Justin Holiday

The Hawks received Justin Holiday (among other pieces) when they traded away Kevin Huerter, the team's best volume sharpshooter. Holiday was supposed to provide at least a bit of the spacing Huerter provided. Instead, Holiday has found himself stuck on the bench, not quite the best use for someone making $6.29 million this season.

As a result, his expiring contract could be of use in a trade that brings back a more reliable sharpshooter to bolster the Hawks' most glaring weakness.