Sam Vecenie: Ranking NBA teams on young stars: Top 10

[KB21]

Ranking NBA teams on young stars: Top 10, from Jazz to... – The Athletic

Atlanta is #2 on the list behind only Dallas, and honestly, I think that's arguable.  The Hawks have 6 prospects in the top 50 rankings in the NBA, more than any other team.  Sam ranks the Hawks prospects as Trae Young, DeAndre Hunter, John Collins, Onyeka Okongwu, Cam Reddish, Kevin Huerter, Skylar Mays, Nathan Knight, Bruno Fernando, Brandon Goodwin, and Alpha Kaba.

Notes on each:

Young - One of the more dynamic young offensive players in NBA history.  A top 5 passer in the NBA because of his ability to create off the bounce and make quick reads.  

Collins - One of the best offensive bigs in the NBA.  An elite level roll man who doesn't get enough credit for the space he creates for Trae Young.

Hunter - His leap this year puts him at #2 on the list.  His combination of offense and defense will allow the Hawks to build around Trae Young.

Reddish - He's not quite there yet.  He's a great defender that has to become more efficient on offense.

Huerter - Elite level shooter, but talents overlap with Bogan Bogdanovich.  May be the Hawks top trade chip.

Okongwu - #4 player in the 2020 NBA draft, he's a terrific center who can help a team win in the playoffs with his rim protection, mobility on defense, ability to handle the ball, and his intelligence as a roller on offense.

Mays - Sneaky good.  Combo guard who can run the offense.  Intelligent.  May not be athletic enough in the long run.

Knight - Has tremendous upside due to his size and athleticism plus his dexterity and fluidity.  If he shoots, he may stick as a back up.

Fernando - His lone NBA skill is rebounding.

Goodwin - Typical 3rd NBA point guard.

Kaba - nonprospect. 

[bleachkit]

I thought the national media gives us no respect? I think he's jumping the gun on his OO projection. Right now he can't even get in the floor. 

Edited February 18, 2021 by bleachkit

[NBASupes]

The Hawks are easily #1 but I get the logic, a legit top 5-10 player is more valuable than everyone on the Hawks who don't have a top 25 player. Trae is a top 15 one when he plays like he did last night.

[macdaddy]

13 minutes ago, NBASupes said:

The Hawks are easily #1 but I get the logic, a legit top 5-10 player is more valuable than everyone on the Hawks who don't have a top 25 player. Trae is a top 15 one when he plays like he did last night.

Hey @NBASupes, I'm too lazy to look it up but seems if i remember right you need to claim props on Mays right?   Seems like you called that one as being a underrated pick on draft night?  (apologies if i slighted someone else).

[bleachkit]

3 minutes ago, macdaddy said:

Hey @NBASupes, I'm too lazy to look it up but seems if i remember right you need to claim props on Mays right?   Seems like you called that one as being a underrated pick on draft night?  (apologies if i slighted someone else).

No he claims props on Peyton Pritchard though.

[NBASupes]

16 minutes ago, bleachkit said:

No he claims props on Peyton Pritchard though.

That was before the draft. Peyton ended up being a 1st round pick. Go to my Skylar May's thread. 

[REHawksFan]

I guess I understand the argument that Luka is singularly the best player between the two teams (and in the NBA) and therefore Dallas has the best young core. But I disagree vehemently with the logic that the effect of that played out last year with Dallas pushing the Clips and the Hawks being bottom 5 in offense and defense.  As if the former caused the latter in both cases.  

On Dallas' side, the team's offensive rating when Luka was off the court in the regular season would have still LED THE NBA in offensive rating.  Yes, he made them better in the regular season to the point of an historic offense, but they were elite even without Luka.  And in the playoffs, the team actually had a HIGHER offensive rating when he was off the court.  So how is having Luka alone last year evidence that they have the top prospects in the NBA?  

On Hawks side, it's pretty comical to try to use last year's young core and resulting position in the NBA - offensively and defensively - as evidence that they are "less than" any other team in the NBA.  Consider that two of the 6 core were rookies, another 2 were on year two AND the "vets" on the team weren't NBA players.  How many of them are even in the NBA right now?  Last year's team was built to lose and they did so.  Using those results as an indictment on the young core is patently unfair and a weak argument.  

And again, if they want to say, "the best player trumps all else" then fine.  Most people aren't going to argue against Luka being the best player between the two teams (or the best young player in the NBA).  But do so honestly instead of engaging in this charade of referring to last year's results as evidence of which young core is better.  

   

[Gray Mule]

6 minutes ago, REHawksFan said:

I guess I understand the argument that Luka is singularly the best player between the two teams (and in the NBA) and therefore Dallas has the best young core. But I disagree vehemently with the logic that the effect of that played out last year with Dallas pushing the Clips and the Hawks being bottom 5 in offense and defense.  As if the former caused the latter in both cases.  

On Dallas' side, the team's offensive rating when Luka was off the court in the regular season would have still LED THE NBA in offensive rating.  Yes, he made them better in the regular season to the point of an historic offense, but they were elite even without Luka.  And in the playoffs, the team actually had a HIGHER offensive rating when he was off the court.  So how is having Luka alone last year evidence that they have the top prospects in the NBA?  

On Hawks side, it's pretty comical to try to use last year's young core and resulting position in the NBA - offensively and defensively - as evidence that they are "less than" any other team in the NBA.  Consider that two of the 6 core were rookies, another 2 were on year two AND the "vets" on the team weren't NBA players.  How many of them are even in the NBA right now?  Last year's team was built to lose and they did so.  Using those results as an indictment on the young core is patently unfair and a weak argument.  

And again, if they want to say, "the best player trumps all else" then fine.  Most people aren't going to argue against Luka being the best player between the two teams (or the best young player in the NBA).  But do so honestly instead of engaging in this charade of referring to last year's results as evidence of which young core is better.  

   

LUKA = A great young team.  Doesn't matter what else they have.  He IS the team!  (That's what they believe)

[bleachkit]

14 minutes ago, Gray Mule said:

LUKA = A great young team.  Doesn't matter what else they have.  He IS the team!  (That's what they believe)

Although I consider Luka superior to Trae, I think Hunter might give our young core more upside than theirs. 

[REHawksFan]

1 minute ago, bleachkit said:

Although I consider Luka superior to Trae, I think Hunter might give our young core more upside than theirs. 

I would not trade the young core for Luka.  It will be a fascinating comparison to watch though as both teams are generally starting this year as a base year.  Dallas looks to build through FA while the Hawks have built through the draft.  Now this, in my view, is year 1 of both team's ascension so following both to see which one gets to the top first will be fascinating.  Dallas had a better year last year definitely, but it sure doesn't feel like they are ahead of the hawks currently.  

[kg01]

Why do people just assume DAL will ascend to greatness?  I think it's very much up in the air for them.  We still don't know if we're not just looking at another incarnation of Westbrook over there.