Jamaaliver wrote:An excerpt of
the original article at The Athletic:
Hawks and Kings could sway this year’s trade deadline
The John Collins situation in Atlanta will be worth watching as the deadline nears.
Despite the fact that he didn’t come to terms on an extension in the brief offseason, there’s a complicating element that is coming into play: He’s a pivotal part of their team right now. And considering the widely-known reality that the playoffs are a massive priority for owner Tony Ressler & Co., that makes the prospect of trading Collins quite tricky.
No matter how much interest there might be.
Entering Friday’s game against San Antonio, Collins is second on the team behind Trae Young in scoring, second behind Clint Capela in rebounding, second behind Capela in blocks, and third in minutes behind Young and DeAndre Hunter. Even if there was a quality deal to be had that added future assets, his production in the present is so crucial that it appears unlikely that he’ll be on the move. Nonetheless, sources say the Hawks have shown a willingness to listen to offers for Collins (this should surprise no one).
In the macro, where Collins’ choice to turn down an extension worth more than $90 million made it clear that he was looking for a bigger payday than the Hawks are comfortable providing, these dynamics remain the same. Collins, who is a restricted free agent this summer, sees himself as a max player and the Hawks don’t. Still, the fact that they need him right now could win out during their push for the playoffs before the process plays out in the offseason.
I think Ressler, Collins, and the coaching situations are paramount. I predicted a coaching change by the all star break if the Hawks are losing. They are 11 and 13 now with a tough schedule still to play. If they are 11 and 19 or something similar after 30 games, I think LP is let go. That choke job against the Mavericks was just as disheartening as the last play call using Trae as a screener.
I think Schlenk believes a core of Trae, Collins, and Capela should compete at close to a .500 clip. In a nutshell, these three are healthy and the Hawks should play decent with decent coaching. Now back to Collins. I think Ressler will foot the bill for Collins if that is what it takes to make the playoffs.
If its not a solid big for Collins, Collins is staying in my opinion.
