NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz on Trae Young, John Collins and Jimmy Butler

The Atlanta Hawks were hoping an active offseason would accelerate the team's competitive timeline.

Atlanta added Rajon Rondo, Kris Dunn, Danilo Gallinari and Bojan Bogdanovic to the roster this fall, and it looked primed to make a potential run up the Eastern Conference ladder. Instead, the Hawks have struggled to generate momentum.

The Hawks opened the year at 4-1 but have since lost four straight. That losing skid has been punctuated by consecutive losses to the Charlotte Hornets. Now, the Hawks are facing questions, including in their own locker room.

Here is the latest on the situation in Atlanta, in addition to Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler's slow start to the new season after a deep playoff run.

Some of the frustration amid Atlanta's current losing streak seems to stem from the offense running through star point guard Trae Young.

Chris Kirschner and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported multiple Hawks players raised issues at the team's film session on Tuesday, notably John Collins. The 23-year-old reportedly suggested Atlanta needed to get into offensive sets more quickly, also imploring fellow players and coaches for more ball movement and fewer shots early in the shot clock.

Collins himself is in the middle of an important season. He was eligible for a rookie extension this season but never reached an agreement with the Hawks. The former Wake Forest star will therefore enter restricted free agency at the end of the season, making this a vital opportunity for Collins to boost his stock.

Kirschner and Amick reported some Hawks teammates agreed with Collins' assessment, though Young was not among them. Kirschner and Amick also reported center Clint Capela had a private discussion with Young, during which he used the example of his time playing with Dwight Howard and James Harden in Houston and illustrated how disagreements can sometimes drive wedges between teammates. 

Atlanta's last two games since the film session have hardly put a damper on those internal disagreements. Young scored just seven points in Wednesday's loss to the Charlotte Hornets, while Collins had 23 points and 11 rebounds. Just a few days later, Young shot 5-of-19 from the field, while Collins attempted just seven field goals. The result was another loss.

Collins told The Athletic Young is his "brother," but there seem to be questions about the former Oklahoma star's ability to orchestrate the offense and facilitate winning in that regard. 

Hawks head coach Lloyd Pierce has been a proponent of Young being more vocal as the franchise centerpiece, but there might be skepticism as to how the two communicate on the floor.

Kirschner and Amick reported sources suggest the "basketball relationship" between Pierce and Young is "worth monitoring." Pierce is reportedly not in "imminent" danger. However, the Hawks have yet to pick up his fourth-year option, which would seem to suggest his job could be on the line if he fails to get his stars on board.

Granted, Pierce has not been afforded much of an opportunity to coach this team at full strength. Kris Dunn has yet to play due to ankle surgery. Danilo Gallinari has also missed seven games with an ankle issue, and Rajon Rondo is dealing with a knee problem. Meanwhile, Bogdan Bogdanovic's avulsion fracture further serves to complicate matters.

Might all the injuries facilitate a trade? Kirschner also reported that might depend on the "patience" of team governor Tony Ressler. He noted the Hawks have a combination of veteran contracts and young assets that lend themselves to a trade. However, he also reported Ressler has been on board with the process set forth by general manager Travis Schlenk.

For now, the Hawks will look to right the ship. A key ingredient to getting on track might be Pierce and Young establishing more on-court synergy. 

Jimmy Butler was one of the players of the NBA restart in Orlando, leading the Miami Heat to a surprising Finals run and stringing together some remarkable playoff appearances.

But Butler, like his teammates, has had a quick turnaround to start the 2020-21 campaign. There has been some general fatigue early in the season. Despite the slow start, however, league personnel told ESPN's Tim Bontemps they believe Butler will return to form, citing an early ankle injury and heavy workload in the "bubble" as reasons for his slow start.

The 31-year-old had six turnovers in the team's opener, a loss to the Orlando Magic. He started the next contest just 2-of-7 before leaving with the ankle injury. He missed the next two games. Butler returned against the Dallas Mavericks on New Year's Day, but he scored just three points in close to 27 minutes, finishing the game -18 in terms of plus-minus. 

However, Butler has begun to find his rhythm. He scored 18 points while adding six assists and three rebounds in under 26 minutes during a Jan. 4 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The five-time All-Star elevated his game in each of the team's next two matchups, scoring 26 in both contests.

Butler narrowly missed a triple-double in Saturday's win over the Washington Wizards, grabbing 10 boards and dishing out nine assists to go with the 26 points. He has consistently gotten to the free-throw line in the last three games, showing his patented aggressiveness in attacking the cup.

Although Butler might have needed some time to ease into the season, he appears intent on getting back to All-Star form.

All stats obtained via Basketball Reference, unless otherwise noted.