Sacramento Kings Receive: F/C John Collins
Atlanta Hawks Receive: F Harrison Barnes, 2023 First-Round Pick (Lottery Protected – SAC)
Sometimes, the writing is on the wall for so long that you’d have to be blind to avoid reading it. Such is the case with John Collins’ tenure in Atlanta.
His name has been a fixture in trade rumors for several years. The Atlanta Hawks seem to regret signing him to a long-term contract. This deal finds them swapping it for an expiring one in Harrison Barnes’.
It should also allow the Hawks to remain competitive next season. Collins is a more impactful player than Barnes, but only by a narrow margin. It just so happens that, staring down that playoff drought, that margin counts for more to the Sacramento Kings than it should for the Hawks.
This deal also finds the Hawks gambling on the Kings’ success. The 2023 first-rounder they’re receiving is lottery-protected, so Atlanta fans will be rooting for the Kings’ success all season long. If Collins is a snug fit in Sacramento, they could get what they’re hoping to.
LATEST NBA NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: Harrison Barnes ‘Available’ For Trade Amid Sacramento Kings Reshuffling
He ought to be. Collins will space the floor for Domantas Sabonis’ low-block passing brilliance, and provide a lethal pick-and-roll / pop partner for De’Aaron Fox. He’s basically a more athletic version of Barnes, and that ought to be a piece that serves this core well.
