John Collins Praises Jazz's 'Lack of Ego' After Trade from Hawks: 'It's Refreshing'

Utah Jazz forward John Collins spoke positively about his change of scenery this offseason, and he may have managed to make a thinly veiled critique of his old team in the process.

"I'd say the one thing that has surprised me is the lack of ego here," he told reporters Monday. "It's refreshing to have a group of guys that truly emphasize playing team basketball and that want to do so; it's nice for me to see. It's exciting for me to be around, and you know, it helps me wake up in the morning motivated to go play."

On the court, the Atlanta Hawks fell below expectations in the two years after they reached the Eastern Conference Finals. Off the court, questions were raised over the leadership of star guard Trae Young and the general operations behind the scenes.

Collins was right in the middle of it all, and one can understand any sense of frustration he might have felt.

In January 2022, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported the 6'9" forward had "grown increasingly frustrated over his role." He was the subject of trade rumors almost from the moment he signed his five-year, $125 million extension in 2021, and he saw his influence on the floor lessen with each successive season.

This past March, Collins lamented the state of things amid a year in which the Hawks fired head coach Nate McMillan and wound up finishing .500.

"I've been through losing years, up years, down years, having playoffs, coming back, whatever," he told The Athletic's David Aldridge. "This one has been one that (is), in the best way, just drama. Just like a soap opera, you know what I mean? This, that, what's going on? Nobody even asks me about basketball. Everybody asks me about the show."

The Jazz haven't been totally immune to the same kind of issues.

The relationship between Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert was a regular storyline toward the end of their time together. Then-head coach Quin Snyder once spoke for nearly 20 minutes in April 2022 just to address the notion that Mitchell wasn't passing enough to Gobert.

Last season was a refreshing change for Utah after trading away both of its big stars, though. The team overachieved by winning 37 games, and Lauri Markkanen symbolized the success by earning an All-Star nod.

While they're still a year or two away from being a serious contender, the Jazz are on the way up, and that makes them a great fit for a player such as Collins who will feel he has something to prove.