With two young stars, two top ten picks, and lots of cap space, the Hawks have the potential to be a super team.

Trae Young took off in the 2nd half of last season, putting himself in contention for ROY. John Collins was a huge steal with the 19th pick in the 2017 draft. Kevin Huerter is a young shooting guard with lots of room to improve.

Now, Atlanta holds the #8 and #10 picks in the draft, giving them the possibility of adding two more young stars to their roster. This Hawks roster is being built similarly to how the Warriors were, with great shooting and a do it all big man found later in the draft. Here are the young Hawks stats compared to the young Warriors stats.

Trae Young Rookie Stats:

19.1 PPG, 32% 3PT Shooting, 8.1 Assists, 30.9 MPG

Steph Curry Rookie Stats:

17.5 PPG, 43.2% 3PT Shooting, 5.9 Assists, 36.2 MPG

Advantage: Young

Kevin Huerter Rookie Stats:

9.7 PPG, 38.5% 3PT Shooting, 0.9 Steals, 27.3 MPG

Klay Thompson Rookie Stats:

12.5 PPG, 41% 3PT Shooting, 0.7 Steals, 24.4 MPG

Advantage: Thompson

John Collins 2nd Year Stats:

19.5 PPG, 9.8 Rebounds, 2 Assists, 30 MPG

Draymond Green 2nd Year Stats:

6.2 PPG, 5 Rebounds, 1.9 Assists, 21.9 MPG

Advantage: Collins

The thing that is so great about Atlanta is that in just two seasons, they have build a young core that compares favorably to the young core of the Golden State Warriors. With their 8th pick and 10th pick in this draft, GM Travis Schlenk should target a SF and a C. Cam Reddish from Duke and Bol Bol from Oregon would fit the team perfectly.

The Hawks would have a starting lineup with the average age being 20. This team would be able to grow together and collectively develop. Not to mention, being in the East makes getting to the playoffs a lot easier. The Magic and Pistons made the playoffs with 42 and 41 wins respectively, so it’s not crazy to think the Hawks could take one of those spots in the 2020 playoffs.

Even if the Hawks don’t make the playoffs next year, they should be an attractive free agent destination. They will be a young, fun team with lots of cap space and a need for stars. Kent Bazemore ($18M) and Miles Plumlee ($12.5M) will both come off the books, leaving Atlanta with two max contract slots.

The 2020 free agency class is weak, with the prize being Anthony Davis. However, it is unlikely that Davis will sign with Atlanta, especially after he just demanded a trade from New Orleans in hopes of winning a championship. The Hawks definitely could win one day, but Davis will probably be in LA with Lebron by then.

Travis Schlenk needs to wait for the 2021 free agent class, one that might be the greatest of all time. While many of these guys won’t hit the open market, the stars available include Giannis Antetokounmpo, Lebron James, Paul George, Damian Lillard, Rudy Gobert, and Bradley Beal.

It’s hard to picture Giannis packing his bags and leaving Milwaukee, especially considering he will be offered a super max and his team is currently the best in the East. Despite this, Bradley Beal should be eager to get the hell out of Washington. Beal is a top five shooting guard, and he is also the only reason the Wizards aren’t the worst team in the league. Beal is literally the perfect shooting guard for these Hawks. He has played every game the past two seasons, averaging 24.1 PPG and 36% shooting from deep. In 2021, Beal will be 28 and in the prime of his career. With Young being the main ball handler, Beal would be able to run around off screens similar to what Klay Thompson does in Oakland.

If Atlanta doesn’t have a star small forward by then, they could target Paul George. George doesn’t mind not playing in a smaller market, as he has played in Indianapolis and Oklahoma City. George is a two way star who has averaged 24.2 points over the last four years and 1.8 steals per game for his career.

With continual improvement from the young core, good two way players added, and at least one super star, this team could rule the East the same way the Warriors have ruled the West. The future is bright in Atlanta.