The Hawks are hoping to have a deal in place involving John Collins before the draft gets underway Thursday night, sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).
Trade rumors have been surrounding Collins since Atlanta was ousted from the playoffs, given the 24-year-old power forward’s hefty contract and the team’s desire to overhaul the roster this summer. Collins has been considered among the most likely players to be traded this offseason, with the Kings being prominently mentioned as a possible destination.
Collins was one of the hottest names on the free agent market last year after failing to come to terms with the Hawks on a rookie-scale extension. He wound up re-signing with Atlanta for $125MM over five years, and the team has been searching for someone willing to take on that contract.
Collins played an important role for the Hawks as they reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2021, but his production declined this season as he was limited to 54 games because of injuries. He averaged 16.2 PPG, the lowest scoring mark since his rookie year, while shooting 52.6% from the field and 36.4% from three-point range, both down from last season.
