Atlanta Hawks Receive: F Harrison Barnes, F Maurice Harkless, 2022 4th Overall Pick
Sacramento Kings Receive: F/C John Collins, 2022 16th Overall Pick
It’s been rumored for a while now that John Collins could be had for the right price. His fit alongside Trae Young and Clint Capela has been fairly questioned, and Atlanta President Travis Schlenk has made it clear that he intends on being aggressive to improve the roster around his superstar point guard.
The Sacramento Kings are also clearly in win-now mode, having sent Tyrese Haliburton to the Indiana Pacers in return for Domantas Sabonis. They did fail to fulfill their playoff mandate last season but are sure to be adamant in their pursuit of the postseason next year.
So much so, that they’re reportedly willing to part ways with the fourth pick in the upcoming NBA Draft in return for an established piece that can aid their playoff push in 2022-2023.
In this deal, the Atlanta Hawks upgrade their defense by adding a couple of two-way forwards. Harkless will be a rotational piece, but Harrison Barnes should slide into the starting four-spot with ease. His ability to generate stops as a one-on-one obstacle and as a help defender should buoy Atlanta’s defense even if Collins’ weakside rim protection is flashier.
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Barnes should also be a better fit on offense, freeing up the paint for Clint Capela to rim-run and catch lobs while offering Trae a secondary ballhandler who can create for himself on the perimeter and even run some screen actions.
As for Sacramento, they get a talent upgrade in theory. While a John Collins-Domantas Sabonis is sure to be a dumpster fire on defense, the sheer offensive greatness of their newly formed Big 3 with De’Aaron Fox might just be enough to get them into the postseason.
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This deal also keeps them in the first round of the draft, albeit out of the lottery, and allows them to add a contributor on a rookie-scale salary. The Kings could certainly do worse things with their fourth pick.
