Phoenix Suns Receive: F John Collins, C Bruno Fernando
Atlanta Hawks Receive: F Cameron Johnson, F Jalen Smith, PHX 2021 1st Round Pick, PHX 2023 2nd Round Pick
After a fantastic offseason in which they added Chris Paul and Jae Crowder, the Phoenix Suns currently find themselves very much in the playoff picture in the Western Conference and are looking to make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
Adding John Collins to their starting rotation would not only make the Suns a solidified playoff team in the West, but potentially a team that could contend with the best of the best in the Western Conference. At times, the Suns have looked like one of the better teams in the West, but other times, they look like a borderline playoff team.
A lot of their problems stem from their frontcourt. DeAndre Ayton is a terrific young talent that is continuing to grow, but he has been disappointing this year as he is only averaging 14.2 points per game. With him being their only legit big man, the Suns could really benefit from adding another rising star in John Collins.
On the other side of the trade, Cameron Johnson has been putting together a really solid year. He currently ranks 5th on the Suns in scoring at 11.2 points per game and has worked his way into the starting rotation at times this year.
Cameron Johnson is known for being more of a three-point specialist than anything else, but the young forward shows a lot of upside for being a potential two-way player down the road. The Hawks have a lot of wing talent already with Cam Reddish and De’Andre Hunter, but they could also use more young talent that has the ability to provide catch-and-shoot three-point shots next to Trae Young.
Jalen Smith is also not a bad player to get in return for Collins from Atlanta’s point of view. He was drafted 10th overall this past year and given his length and aggressiveness, he could grow into a really solid rebounder and rim-protector, but it will take time for his game to develop.
This trade brings something unique to both the Suns and the Hawks and while it does seem to look a little lop-sided in favor of the Suns, there is plenty to be excited about on the receiving end of things for Atlanta. With that being said, let’s take a closer look at why exactly both teams would want to make this trade.
