The Atlanta Hawks have managed to build an intriguing young core with Trae Young leading the charge. John Collins has emerged as an intriguing talent who has filled a pivotal role since being selected with the No. 19 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Could his time with the team be nearing its end?
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Hawks have sought a high first-round, lottery-level pick in trade talks centered around John Collins.
“As our Sam Amick reported, the Hawks have shown a willingness to listen to offers on John Collins. Collins is an integral part of the Hawks’ core, averaging 18.1 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 39.1 percent from 3-point land. Atlanta has so far sought a high first-round, lottery-level pick if it is to move Collins, sources said.”
Before the start of the current NBA season, the Hawks and Collins had a chance to come to an agreement on a contract extension but failed to do so. It was rumored that Collins sought a max deal and the Hawks, rightfully so, were hesitant to oblige to that.
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Collins is set to reach restricted free agency during the NBA offseason and the Hawks will have the option to match any offer sheet he signs, if they do not elect to trade him before the NBA trade deadline.
There are legitimate limitations to Collins’ skill-set that should make a team reluctant to offer a maximum deal. For starters, his stiff hips make it difficult for him to make much of an impact when directly engaged defensively in pick-and-roll situations, and against cross-match assignments after switching occurs.
In today’s NBA, it’s vital to have frontcourt players who can make a positive impact either as a rim protector or when defending multiple positions. Collins’ physical intangibles prevent from being able to achieve success in either department — raising questions regarding his ability to play a take up a large portion of a team’s salary cap while being able to win.
It will be fascinating to see what the Atlanta Hawks ultimately decide to do with John Collins’ future with the team. Going small around Trae Young with wings like De’Andre Hunter and Cam Reddish while Clint Capela mans the middle could be an intriguing possibility.
