Brad Rowland here, the host of the daily Locked On Hawks podcast, with your daily Locked On Hawks newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Hawks and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
League at Large
Monday movers: Isaiah Collier and the resilient Pistons
Jan 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz guard Isaiah Collier (13) lays the ball up against the Brooklyn Nets during the fourth quarter at Delta Center. | Rob Gray/Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Isaiah Collier
If you thought tracking incremental improvements was just for teams, think again. Jazz rookie Isaiah Collier had himself a game on Sunday, with a career-high 23 points, seven rebounds and assists, plus a block, in 37 minutes on the floor. It was Collier’s longest sustained playing time this season.
I covered Collier over his McDonald’s All-American weekend in April 2023. As a USC signee he was in the shadow of Bronny James, also in the same “McDAAG” class. Collier was quiet, polite, and a little shy off the floor, on the floor, all those traits inverted. When I’ve circled around to check on how Collier’s been doing this season I haven’t been surprised to see him taking a secondary role. Sometimes the best thing for a rookie is to have a working balance between competitive pressure and developing at their own pace. What I have been surprised by is how much Collier, up to now, has been flying under the radar.
He had a sixth-sense for the game in high school, in his knack for passing, knowing where teammates would be, and dictating the pace of the game — a rarer thing for a young athlete. It showed it again in his single season at USC. The Jazz don’t necessarily want Collier to be the one deploying these things, they have Collin Sexton, Jordan Clarkson, and Keyonte George as a backup for them, but when Collier’s been trusted by the team to handle the ball it’s paid dividends.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Injury Atlanta Hawks will miss Jalen Johnson’s contributions on both ends of the court due to his recent injury. (Soaring Down South)
Must Read It has been an up and down start to Zaccharie Risacher’s NBA career. But he’s getting more and more comfortable with each game, and is starting to find his game on and off the court. (AJC)
Watch Roundball Rock is (almost) back. Giannis, Jayson Tatum, and Wemby star in NBC’s NBA promo. (NBC Sports)
Analysis Amid struggles, what’s the end game for the Suns? (NBA.com)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Waiver Wire Wisdom: Navigating Fantasy Basketball’s Ever-Changing Landscape
Jan 12, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Noah Clowney (21) passes the ball away from Utah Jazz forward Cody Williams (5) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray/Rob Gray-Imagn Images
As we dive into Week 13 of the NBA season, it’s crucial to approach your fantasy basketball strategy with a keen eye on both the present and the future. The key is to play for the short term while keeping long-term potential in mind.
Donovan Clingan is an interesting addition. With Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams out, Clingan started and showed promise. However, his value may be limited when Ayton returns. This could be an opportunity to sell high on Clingan if you believe his current performance isn’t sustainable.
Noah Clowney and Nikola Jovic are two players with more long-term value. Clowney’s minutes may fluctuate, but he’s worth rostering for potential future gains. Jovic, despite coming off the bench, has shown promise and could see consistent minutes moving forward.
Click the button below to see which under-rostered players need to find their way onto your team.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Hawks podcasts.
Hawks wrap up marathon road trip with loss in Phoenix Episode 1884 highlights a shotmaking exhibition for both teams in the first half, David Roddy’s (brief) revenge, defensive struggles, a tale of two halves on offense, curious rotation decisions, and much more.
Awards contenders, Hawks mailbag, and Suns preview The show begins with a check-in on the NBA awards contenders from the Atlanta Hawks including Jalen Johnson, De’Andre Hunter, Dyson Daniels, and Trae Young. Then, the episode shifts to answering mailbag questions and previewing Thursday’s game between the Hawks and the Phoenix Suns to conclude the team’s marathon road trip.
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks escape Salt Lake City with a walk-off win Topics for Episode 1882 include Trae Young’s 50-foot game-winning shot, another 20-20 game for Atlanta’s lead guard, the absence of Jalen Johnson, the Hawks’ defense on Lauri Markkanen, and much more.
