Premium Member Popular Post JayBirdHawk Posted September 9, 2019 Premium Member Popular Post Report Share Posted September 9, 2019 #51 JOHN COLLINS ATLANTA HAWKS This feels like the year that John Collins enters the public consciousness. There’s something in his game for everybody. Collins’ high-flying dunks give him some sugar-coated pop appeal; a blooming off-the-dribble game makes him a fascinating experiment for the die-hard crowd; and the Hawks’ upward momentum (along with Collins’ own Giannis-lite aspirations) make for some great narrative fodder. The main reason that the world should take notice is that Collins (who came within a rounding error of averaging 20 and 10) is a really good basketball player coming into his own. The reason they likely will is that he’s fun as hell to watch. If there’s any real sticking point, it’s the depth of what we can’t yet know. Evaluating any young player is difficult until we’ve seen them in a postseason setting, where the cost of every limitation is made real. It’s not yet clear what Collins’ best position might be, or what role he could play in a high-level defense. These aren’t demerits so much as caveats. Give Collins credit for thriving in the role he’s had. There’s just a different burden of proof where stardom is concerned, and that’s the category where he’ll soon find himself. #62 TRAE YOUNG ATLANTA HAWKS Tempting as it is to move Trae Young up this list, let’s start with a frank accounting of exactly what we saw from the rookie guard last season. Young was the lead playmaker for the 23rd-ranked offense; while running that offense, Young committed more turnovers per minute than every player in the league save for James Harden and Russell Westbrook; despite his acclaim as a shooter, Young took so many difficult threes that he shot a Mudiayan 32.4% from beyond the arc; and, in a display of lousy defense by any measure, managed to register as the worst defender in the league by defensive real plus-minus. None of this means that Young isn’t a brilliant passer or a star in the making. Rather, it’s a reminder that our collective response to high-achieving rookies—in all their thrilling novelty—can sometimes gloss over the practical realities of the sport. Part of what makes Young so interesting as a prospect is that his game is still so far from complete. He’s learning what it means to run an offense at a professional level beyond hitting tough shots and making impressive passes. There is a subtlety to the job that can only be learned through working it—the kind that was even discernible in Young’s performance as he moved from month to month during his rookie season. Give it time. The version of Young we’ll see in action in the coming season will probably play a smarter, more polished brand of basketball by some incremental measure. He’ll also still be fun and flawed, without the clarity that comes through postseason scrutiny. Let’s not rush to make Young more than he is: a 21-year-old who sees the game through a lens of incredible ambition, with the talent to someday (or sometimes) fulfill it. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post marco102 Posted September 9, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted September 9, 2019 Good for our guys. Although, I believe Trae should be in the top 50. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post NBASupes Posted September 9, 2019 Popular Post Report Share Posted September 9, 2019 Not bad if you just take the entire 2018-19. But if you base it off of 19-2020 expectations, I have Trae as a top 20 player 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Popular Post AHF Posted September 9, 2019 Moderators Popular Post Report Share Posted September 9, 2019 I said last year that Collins' exclusion from this list was their greatest fail. They are closer to the mark this year for sure but still have some work to do for what I think our guys will deliver this season. I've no doubt there are literally dozens of players that teams would trade for Trae that are ranked higher than him on this list. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spud2nique Posted September 9, 2019 Report Share Posted September 9, 2019 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enrique Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 Am I missing something or have they listed only the players from 50-100? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spud2nique Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 1 hour ago, enrique said: Am I missing something or have they listed only the players from 50-100? See if this works. https://www.si.com/nba/top-100-nba-players-2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spud2nique Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 1 hour ago, enrique said: Am I missing something or have they listed only the players from 50-100? Sorry they start 51 today I guess. tipping off with Nos. 100-51 today. Let the debates begin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Diesel Posted September 10, 2019 Premium Member Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 Im sorry. The list is trash. How is Gordon Heyward even sniffing the list? How is Klay Thompson #58? Sabonis and Markkanenn to the back?? Really? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spud2nique Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 Just now, Diesel said: Im sorry. The list is trash. How is Gordon Heyward even sniffing the list? How is Klay Thompson #58? Sabonis and Markkanenn to the back?? Really? Ya I hate the warriors but Klay at 58 is funny. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Diesel Posted September 10, 2019 Premium Member Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 1 minute ago, Spud2nique said: Ya I hate the warriors but Klay at 58 is funny. IF it's future prediction for this year, then he shouldn't be on the list. IF it's his ability... 58 is just stupid. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gurpilo Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 I have clear that Bogdanovic, Porter, Lou Williams, Buddy Hield are not better than Trae but... perhaps is better they undervalue our team. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enrique Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 (edited) 8 hours ago, Diesel said: IF it's future prediction for this year, then he shouldn't be on the list. IF it's his ability... 58 is just stupid. The article stated: How does one rank a talented, resilient player on his way back from a major knee injury? For as effective as Klay Thompson is, the realities of a torn ACL are overwhelming. An extended period of recovery is followed by arduous rehabilitation, then a muted return and a slow grind back to full form. Every knee responds to each of these stages in its own way. In a best-case scenario, Thompson could be back by March. Yet as Kevin Pelton noted for ESPN.com: "In the past five years, no player has come back from an ACL tear in shorter than 11 months." The 11-month timetable from Thompson’s injury would pencil in a return for mid-May, nearly a month into the playoffs. What qualifies Thompson for this ranking in spite of that is the understanding that he’ll commit himself fully to the rehab process; how quickly he’s been able to reacclimate once returning from previous injuries; and just how valuable his defense and shooting are in the games that matter most. In other words, if Klay can close out the year and playoffs at a high level he is seen as a Top100 player for 2020. I think they are trying to include him, but it is an odd pick IMO. The statement being made, however, that one or 2 playoff series of Klay is more valuable than a season of John Collins or Trae Young is comedic at best. Edited September 10, 2019 by enrique 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spud2nique Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 4 hours ago, gurpilo said: I have clear that Bogdanovic, Ahead of Trae? Hmm ...absolutely no. How? The guy on the Jazz? Or the Kings? Actually it doesn’t matter Trae is better than both imo. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Posted September 10, 2019 Report Share Posted September 10, 2019 So how many players make their teammates substantially better because they handle the rock? Trae is gonna end up HOF and this list is...well....just a list. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member JayBirdHawk Posted September 24, 2019 Author Premium Member Report Share Posted September 24, 2019 ESPN Top 100 list is out. This is the 100-51 guys: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27640475/ranking-best-players-nba-season-100-51 No Trae or John....might they be in the top 50? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Peoriabird Posted September 24, 2019 Premium Member Report Share Posted September 24, 2019 43 minutes ago, JayBirdHawk said: ESPN Top 100 list is out. This is the 100-51 guys: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27640475/ranking-best-players-nba-season-100-51 No Trae or John....might they be in the top 50? That would be a safe bet based on who was named 51-100 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spud2nique Posted September 24, 2019 Report Share Posted September 24, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, JayBirdHawk said: ESPN Top 100 list is out. This is the 100-51 guys: https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/27640475/ranking-best-players-nba-season-100-51 No Trae or John....might they be in the top 50? I’m predicting they say Collins at #36 and Trae at #27. Personally is have Collins at 25-30 and Trae at 15-20, then again I’m biased. Really I would have Trae top 10. Edited September 24, 2019 by Spud2nique 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBASupes Posted September 24, 2019 Report Share Posted September 24, 2019 Trae #19 Collins #29 If we are talking strictly projections. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member JayBirdHawk Posted September 24, 2019 Author Premium Member Report Share Posted September 24, 2019 47. John Collins Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports Atlanta Hawks | PF Previous rank: NR Projected RPM wins: 4.7 Brian Windhorst on Collins and Trae Young: Young running the high pick-and-roll with Collins is the new highlight factory in Atlanta, with Collins rolling to the rim to accept lobs from Young in traffic and slamming them down. We've devoted a lot of attention to Young, but Collins' role in the Hawks' machine is just as impressive. Just two years into the development program, Collins has blossomed into a future All-Star, averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds in his second season. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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