Why Hawks' John Collins Would be Great Fit with Nets amid Latest NBA Trade Rumors
The Brooklyn Nets' early-season struggles appear to be mostly behind them. They've won three straight games and six of their past eight, and they sit at 12-11 after their win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, marking the first time they've been above .500 this season.
With the amount of talent on the Nets' roster, this is the type of success that is expected. And the team could be getting even better soon.
According to SNY's Ian Begley, Brooklyn has "touched base" with the Atlanta Hawks regarding John Collins, who has been featured in trade rumors throughout the 2022-23 season.
"I think the Nets are in search of some help along the front line. Collins can certainly help them," Begley told The Putback podcast. "I'm not sure how far along those talks went. But they've certainly engaged recently, so something to keep an eye on there."
Collins has been a solid player throughout his six-year NBA career, all of which has been spent in Atlanta. This season, the power forward is averaging 12.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 22 games.
Although the 25-year-old's shooting percentages are down (48.4 percent from the field and 21.9 percent from 3-point range), there's plenty of time for those to get back closer to his career averages. And with his track record, it seems likely he'll heat up later in the season.
The Hawks may be a playoff contender in the Eastern Conference, but they've been open to dealing Collins. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported last month that the team had "opened up preliminary trade discussions."
The Nets would be wise to capitalize, as the 6'9" Collins would give them a much-needed boost in the post. Brooklyn hasn't been able to rely consistently on Ben Simmons, who is often injured and is now dealing with a calf strain that has sidelined him.
When the Nets fired head coach Steve Nash and replaced him on an interim basis with Jacque Vaughn, it didn't seem like they'd be a playoff contender this season. But they've been performing better, and they're now in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
By adding a player like the Wake Forest product to its core, Brooklyn will be in an even better position to compete and capitalize on the prime years of stars such as Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Plus, Collins is under contract through the end of the 2024-25 season (with a player option for the 2025-26 campaign), so it's a solid long-term investment for the Nets.
Will it be a move that pushes Brooklyn into championship contention? Maybe, but the Nets' title hopes are likely to rely more on Durant, Irving and possibly the health of Simmons.
Still, Collins is a strong interior player who fills a primary need for Brooklyn. And as long as the cost isn't too high, the Nets should swing a deal to acquire him from the Hawks.
