Trouble is brewing in the Atlanta Hawks’ locker room

The Atlanta Hawks might have some tension bubbling up after losing three in a row.

Lloyd Pierce’s Atlanta Hawks were viewed by many as a team that could slide into the playoffs in 2021, as their core of Trae Young, John Collins and De’Andre Hunter could be enough to separate from the rest of the pack. Unfortunately, after a 4-1 start, Atlanta has lost three straight games, and Collins has had it up to here with Pierce’s style of offense.

Sam Amick and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reported that after Young managed just 7 points in a loss to the Charlotte Hornets, Collins went in on him during a film session, expressing displeasure with his role in the offense.

Trae Young and John Collins will both be instrumental to the Hawks’ success this year

Young might not be shooting as much as he did last season, when he averaged almost 30 points per game, but he remains one of the most lethal scorers in basketball on any given night. Collins is averaging 17.9 points to go with 7.5 rebounds per game, but his name was in the rumor mill during the offseason, as the return of Clint Capela and selection of Onyeka Okongwu in the draft led some to believe Atlanta could ditch Collins.

Despite the arrival of Danilo Gallinari and Pierce’s emphasis on shooting the 3-ball, it’s Collins who is second on the team in scoring behind Young. While the Hawks have hit a rough patch, they are hardly in such dire straits that team cornerstones should be feuding with one another about touches, or a lack thereof.

The Hawks expected to take a massive leap forward this year, and this bumpy stretch has Collins looking for answers as to why he isn’t involved. With Young not going anywhere anytime soon, it’s not crazy to assume Collins could earn himself a trade if he doesn’t patch things up with Young.