There was a short time when the Atlanta Hawks franchise was built around the future of the high-flying John Collins. While it was a short-lived tenure, the former Hawk was a pivotal piece in the team's attempts at rebuilding after turning the page on Al Horford, Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver, and the rest of its veteran core. Collins was quickly joined by current Hawks star Trae Young, and the duo had instant chemistry. However, the Hawks made a mistake paying Collins top-tier money when the forward's ceiling was that of a solid starter, not the star the organization hoped Collins to be.
Understandably, this resulted in the team salary dumping the former Hawk in exchange for Rudy Gay and a second-round pick. It was a loss for the Hawks that cleared cap space so the team could make the mistake of bringing in a certain former Spurs point guard. Regardless, the Utah Jazz absorbed the deal and allowed Atlanta to reduce payroll. Now, two years later, the Jazz might have a chance to escape the final year of the deal.
Former Hawk John Collins Could Find Himself a Sought-After Commodity in a Thin Free Agent Class
Collins is in the final year of his deal with a $26-million player option he is sure to exercise. The forward would be foolish to attempt to get this rate on the free agent market. Even in this year's thin class, it is incredibly unlikely that that level of money is out there for the former Hawk.
While the Hawks could use a player with Collins' skillset a reunion simply isn't in the cards. Atlanta needs to add a backup center and a secondary scoring option to help take the burden off Trae Young. Collins somewhat fits both descriptions, but simply can't be the team's answer only two seasons after jettisoning the star due to a regrettable contract.
Considering potential fits there are two teams that stand out as possible landing spots for Collins. The first is the Los Angeles Lakers who remain desperate to add a lob threat for Luka and bring in much-needed size. Depending on how the team's offseason plays out they could send a draft pick and their worst contracts in exchange for Collins. This is entirely dependent on how Utah approaches the offseason, however.
The second team that could be in the mix for Collins is the Boston Celtics. The organization needs to shed cap and is going to need to trade away at least 1-2 stars in hopes of lessening the burden. Matching contracts with today's rules is incredibly difficult and leaves Collins as a possible fit for Boston.
Regardless, it is clear the former Hawk is likely to be on the move this offseason and will have a market based on his expiring deal and a truly underwhelming free agent market.