John Collins
With the Atlanta Hawks making some significant moves this offseason to set themselves up for success now and in the future, it seems likely they would not trade John Collins, but if the Lakers come to them with a big trade package, it may be hard for them to turn down. Last season, Collins averaged 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and shot 58.3% from the floor.
His value is extremely high right now and the Lakers would not only have to give up Kyle Kuzma, but a handful of draft picks and potentially, a player like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Getting a player like John Collins though would change the Lakers for the better now and set them up for a lot of success moving forward.
One main reason why a trade with the Hawks revolving around John Collins could happen is because Collins and the Hawks did not reach an agreement on a long-term extension. Reports surfaced this past offseason that the young forward declined a $90M extension, meaning that he may want to move on from Atlanta.
While their roster is set up for a title this year already, the Lakers do not have much draft capital moving forward. Over the next four years, the Lakers have only three draft picks, one of which is a first-round pick in 2022. They have no room to build a team for the future through the draft and thus, may have to do so via trade.
John Collins is 23-years old and one of the rising young stars of the NBA that could set the Lakers up for future success when LeBron is ready to retire. Anthony Davis will be with the Lakers for the foreseeable future after agreeing to a five-year, $190M deal and pairing John Collins up with him in the frontcourt would be unbelievable for the Lakers.
Not only is John Collins worth giving up future draft picks for, but he is a player that can be a part of the Lakers’ core moving forward. Who knows how much longer LeBron James is going to play in the NBA, but the Lakers are really only focused on the present time right now. They have to be prepared for the day that LeBron does retire and Anthony Davis is the only player set to be with the team long-term.
The Lakers will do everything they can to make Anthony Davis remain with the Lakers for the rest of his career and pairing him up with a guy like John Collins gives Los Angeles their two focal points of the future. Not only can he contribute at a higher level than Kyle Kuzma can, but he offers much more upside than Kuzma, making him a must-target guy for the Los Angeles Lakers.
