Amid constant trade rumors and questions regarding the leadership of Trae Young, John Collins is finding it hard to focus on the game
As he told reporters this week, the constant distractions about the inner workings of the team and chemistry in the locker room have made this season feel like a soap opera.
“I’ve been through losing years, up years, down years, having playoffs, coming back, whatever,” Collins said, via The Athletic. “This one has been one that (is), in the best way, just drama. Just like a soap opera, you know what I mean? This, that, what’s going on? Nobody even asks me about basketball. Everybody asks me about the show.”
In truth, there isn’t much to ask about when it comes to on-court performance for the Hawks. They are 34-34 on the season with a new coach who hasn’t been able to instill his system yet.
Collins, who is averaging 12.8 points per game this season, has struggled to find his role on the team for years, and that continues to be the case now with less than a quarter of the season to go.
But the real issue in Atlanta is Trae Young, who is still trying to control the fallout from recent reports.
The Hawks Are In Serious Trouble
As talented as they may be on paper, Atlanta will go nowhere in the East as long as chaos and dysfunction exist. According to various reports, the main issue is Young, who is reportedly perpetuating a toxic culture.
“Starting with the locker room, it’s no secret there’s a serious disconnect between Young, the team’s star player, and many — though some say nearly all — of his teammates. He is not beloved, sources say, and there’s a strong view that Young fails to lead, to understand or care to understand what is required of him, and that, as a result, the team will never achieve what it should until that reality is fixed.”
Obviously, the Hawks are going to downplay these stories, and there is nothing to prove they are true. But the Hawks’ underwhelming season so far is certainly an indicator that something is not right.
Whether it’s Trae, Collins, or somebody else, the Hawks are likely going to make some major changes this summer as new head coach Quin Snyder assesses which guys he wants to keep around for the long haul.
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