The Atlanta Hawks made some major changes in the NBA offseason with two sizable trades. The first was acquiring All-Star point guard Dejounte Murray from the San Antonio Spurs to complement Trae Young in the backcourt.
The second was trading away Kevin Huerter to the Sacramento Kings to begin recouping the draft capital that it cost to bring aboard Murray.
The results have been solid thus far as Murray has been everything that the Hawks were looking for. However, at 11-9, Atlanta is a team that will probably be seeking out more deals to make in the coming weeks and months.
One player to keep an eye on is power forward, John Collins. Collins looked like an ascending star during the 2019-20 season when he averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds to go along with 1.6 blocks per game. Alas, since that time, he has seen his opportunities offensively and overall impact decrease.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Atlanta Hawks Discussing John Collins Trades; Suns Among Suitors
This is the third season in a row that Collins’ field goal attempts per game are going down, but he is no longer buoying that with strong shooting percentages. He is no longer connecting on 3-pointers at a healthy clip and his rebounding numbers haven’t gotten close to those levels.
As a result, the Hawks have been open to discussing Collins in trade talks. He has seemingly been on the trade block for years and at 25 years old there is certainly time for him to get back on track. However, as one NBA executive stated when speaking to NBA Analysis Network, a lot is working against Collins at this time.
“It’s hard to find a situation for him that translates to winning basketball. It’s getting harder with his three not falling at a high clip. He’s not a rim protector and can’t do much out in space — he’s a liability on that end. With how teams are switching more and more, his ability to slip and rim run for a lob has increasingly diminished value. … I’d rather have a rim protector at the five and a wing at the four than Collins. … He’s expensive long-term, too. There’s not a lot to like.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Atlanta Hawks Discussing John Collins Trades; Suns Among Suitors
His contract is likely the biggest deterrent in his future outlook. He has shown the skill set to be a player that can provide a positive impact, but there aren’t going to be many teams lining up to take on a contract of his size without some other assets attached to it.
Collins’ production slipping this season certainly isn’t going to make it any easier to get a deal done, either. He is currently performing close to his rookie season numbers, which isn’t going to help drive up his value.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Atlanta Hawks Discussing John Collins Trades; Suns Among Suitors
If the Hawks move Collins, they will be selling well below market value. Alas, that could be an addition-by-subtraction situation for the Hawks as Collins no longer fits their long-term plans and they are on the search for players that do.
