Why The Atlanta Hawks Do The Deal

You were probably expecting to see John Collins in the Brooklyn Nets’ package. 

If the Nets insist on his inclusion in a Simmons swap, the Atlanta Hawks should decline. Without him, Simmons’ fit with this squad is untenable. 

In fact, it’s a hard sell even with Collins around. There are already concerns about Murray’s fit alongside Trae Young as a poor shooter. Adding an absolute non-shooter like Simmons only exacerbates those potential problems. 

On the other hand, the Hawks could go from near the bottom to near the top of the league in defensive rating following these moves. With Collins around, they’ll at least have him offset the spacing concerns.

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If Simmons was willing to find himself on the finishing end of a pick-and-roll for once, they might not have any concerns at all.