One name that’s been surprisingly quiet in the NBA rumor mill this offseason is John Collins. After initial reports that he would be available in trade talks and a divorce between him and the Atlanta Hawks was inevitable, one would think that nearly every other organization would be interested in acquiring his services.
After all, Collins is plenty serviceable already, is one a relatively team-friendly deal that will pay him an average of $25 million per year through the 2025-26 season, and is still young at just 24 years old. Whether a team is trying to compete for a title or heading towards a rebuild, they should be able to reconcile swinging a deal for the former Wake Forest Demon Deacon.
According to Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer, though, there was at least plenty of initial interest in the high-flying big man:
Outside of San Antonio, there doesn’t appear to be any serious active trade conversation surrounding Collins. Sacramento, Portland, Boston and Brooklyn all registered some level of interest in Collins around the draft, but none of those teams appear far along with Atlanta on Collins deals at this juncture.
And yet, aside from continued back and forth with the San Antonio Spurs, Collins’s name has been mostly removed from the rumor mill. The Spurs aren’t even sure if they want the two-way forward as part of their return, as there have been reports that they may view his contract as more of a liability than an asset.
LATEST NBA FREE AGENCY NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: 3 Post-Draft Trade Ideas For Atlanta Hawks’ John Collins
Collins ultimately wasn’t included in a deal with the San Antonio Spurs, perhaps discussions with one of those teams will pick back up. After all, each of those teams has plenty of reason to add his services.
The Sacramento Kings had a playoff mandate last season and are far from a guaranteed postseason team. The Portland Trail Blazers could use more size and depth after spending their seventh-overall pick on Kentucky guard Shaedon Sharpe.
LATEST NBA FREE AGENCY NEWS AND TRADE RUMORS: 3 Post-Draft Trade Ideas For Atlanta Hawks’ John Collins
The Boston Celtics need to find a way to upgrade a roster that fell just short of a championship, and the Brooklyn Nets appear to be running it back with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving for one more season.
