Hawks Rumors: John Collins Trade is 'Atlanta's Ongoing Top Priority' in NBA Offseason
The Atlanta Hawks are reportedly pushing to find a trade partner for forward John Collins this offseason.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Hawks' "ongoing top priority" is to move Collins before the start of the 2023-24 season.
Collins has spent his entire six-year NBA career in Atlanta, but he has been the subject of constant trade rumors over the past couple of years, and he is coming off his worst statistical season since his rookie campaign.
In 71 games last season, Collins averaged just 13.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 block and 1.0 three-pointer made, while shooting a career-low 50.8 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from beyond the arc.
After averaging 10.5 points per game as a rookie, Collins played at close to an All-Star level the next two seasons, averaging a combined 20.3 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 three-pointers made and 1.0 block in 102 games.
His production dipped the next two seasons, but he was still solid with a combined average of 17.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.3 three-pointers made and 1.0 block per contest.
After Collins played a pivotal role in helping the Hawks reach the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, Atlanta signed him to a five-year, $125 million contract extension.
Collins is still just 25 years old and his numbers could rebound in a different situation where he isn't the third scoring option behind Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, but his large contract perhaps makes him difficult to move.
Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported Friday that the Hawks and Utah Jazz "re-engaged" in trade talks focused on Collins leading up to Thursday's 2023 NBA draft, but nothing came to fruition.
Fischer noted that the Hawks also had trade talks involving D'Andre Hunter, and noted that Collins and Hunter remain candidates to get dealt this offseason.
The Jazz are a potentially good fit for Collins since he is from Utah, but they are in the midst of a rebuild and may not want to take on Collins' contract, which lasts for at least two more seasons with a player option for 2025-26.
Utah also doesn't have much of a need for Collins with Walker Kessler, Lauri Markkanen and Kelly Olynyk in the frontcourt, so it is difficult to envision the Jazz giving up much of value.
If the Hawks are desperate to move Collins, it is possible they will have to settle for a salary dump of sorts and attach a future draft pick to him in order to get a team to take his contract.
Otherwise, the Hawks may be forced to run it back next season with a core of Young, Murray and Collins after getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs last season as the No. 7 seed.
