John Collins Suggested As Trade Target For Portland Trail Blazers

John Collins, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, NBA Trade Rumors
NBA Analysis Network

The Atlanta Hawks’ 2021-22 NBA season ended disappointingly. After advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, the team finished this season as the ninth seed, landing in the NBA Play-In Tournament.

After defeating the Charlotte Hornets in the first game, the Hawks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, earning the No. 8 seed. That led to a matchup with the No. 1 seed Miami Heat, who were too much for Atlanta to overcome.

The Miami Heat disposed of the Atlanta Hawks in five games, with the only win being a one-point victory in Game 3. A lot of shortcomings for Atlanta were exposed in the game, as they couldn’t consistently get stops on defense. Offensively, Miami suffocated Trae Young, stalling out the Hawks’ offense.

Young finished the series with 30 turnovers, which was more than the number of shots that he made in five games, which was 22. Heading into the offseason, it is clear that there is some work for the front office to do.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: These 3 Teams Should Monitor Trade For Hawks’ John Collins

Consolidating the roster and finding some more defensive-minded players on the wing could be in the work. Advancing as far as they did in the playoffs last year essentially led to the roster being run back the same way, but changes need to occur this offseason.

One player that could be on the move is John Collins. He was reportedly frustrated with how things went early in the season and have seen his opportunities on offense dwindle in recent seasons, as his shot attempts have lowered three straight years.

There are plenty of teams that would love to add Collins to their lineup. Could one of those teams be the Portland Trail Blazers? They were suggested as a potential landing spot for Collins and a deal between the teams would make some sense.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: These 3 Teams Should Monitor Trade For Hawks’ John Collins

Collins would be a deadly partner for Damian Lillard in pick-and-roll situations. Collins is a high-flier, capable of playing above the rim as a combo big man. He is more than capable of stepping out on the perimeter, knocking down 37.6 percent of his 3-point attempts in his career.

Portland has some extra draft capital from other trades made this year that they could be willing to part ways with a first-round pick to bring in an established player. Collins would make for an intriguing one-two punch with Lillard, and would certainly be a step in the right direction. 

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: These 3 Teams Should Monitor Trade For Hawks’ John Collins

Alas, Portland would have plenty of more work to do before being considered a contender. John Collins fills the void in the frontcourt, but the Portland Trail Blazers would still have some work to do filling out the rest of the roster around their new duo.

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