John Collins played a bit during the preseason but is yet to play during the regular season as he has been resting his left ankle after a nonsurgical procedure. It appears that Collins will return Saturday against the Pacers:
John Collins is probable for tomorrow vs. IND. Our long regional nightmare is almost over.
— Kevin Chouinard (@KLChouinard) November 16, 2018
The Hawks are off to a great start by tanking standards, with a 3-12 record. Though highly talented, getting back John Collins is not going to propel this Hawks team by a large margin. The Hawks will still be lining up for the services of the likes of Zion Williamson or R.J Barrett. The team is built to lose, and the defense is horrendous.
However, getting back Collins means the team is getting back their other elite prospect. Watching Trae Young and John Collins is the silver lining in this tank season. Young’s lobs to Collins will be an utter thing of beauty.
Taurean Prince also seems to continue to grow as a player and youngsters Kevin Huerter and Omari Spellman are playing big roles early. The Hawks already have a ton of young talent to be excited about, and project to add two lottery picks to the mix this upcoming summer.
For now, getting back Collins is going to be as exciting as it gets for Hawks fans this season. As they say up in Philly, “Trust the Process.”