NBA Season Preview 2019-20: The one reason to watch each and every team

Atlanta Hawks: A young core worth watching

The Atlanta Hawks have had problems with fan apathy, even when the team was still an Eastern Conference contender. Thanks to Trae Young, John Collins and a fun, young core, the Hawks are worth getting excited over again.

They may not be playoff-bound in 2019-20, but it’ll be a delight watching the Hawks continue to build on last year’s late-season momentum. Once the calendar flipped to 2019, Young was spectacular, averaging 21.9 points, 8.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game on .443/.353/.854 shooting splits. The Hawks’ growth echoed his own in that span, as the team went 18-28 after starting off 11-25.

Young’s pick-and-roll chemistry with Collins, who produced borderline All-Star numbers, makes Atlanta fun to watch, especially when flanked with shooters like the impressive Kevin Huerter, 3-and-D rookie De’Andre Hunter and draft enigma Cam Reddish. There will be flashy passes, monster dunks and an onslaught of 3s on a nightly basis.

Atlanta paid a dear price to move up to No. 4 and draft Hunter, but the Hawks were one of the NBA’s League Pass darlings in the second half of last season. Even if you ignore the influx of veteran wings to help spread the floor, this Young-Collins-Hunter-Reddish core is worth checking in on frequently.