The Atlanta Hawks have been playing better basketball since they fired previous head coach Lloyd Pierce. Under new head coach Nate McMillan, the Hawks have won six straight and are 7-3 in their last 10 games. This doesn’t mean they want to keep their roster intact though as they’re expected to make noise this coming trade deadline.
Power forward John Collins has been on the trade block since the first half of the season. Collins has voiced his concern about the team’s offense and has played mediocre so far to the point that he’s been a disappointment for fantasy owners who may have drafted or picked him up this season. The four-year forward is going to be a free agent this summer where he aims to increase his price to a nine-figure deal, which he and the Hawks initially didn’t agree on before the season.
So what the Hawks want to do now is find a suitable trade partner in the expense of letting Collins go. The Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat are among the teams that are interested in acquiring Collins. But it’s not going to be easy given that the Hawks’ asking price for Collins is relatively high. Here are two of the best trade scenarios the Hawks could consider before the 2021 NBA trade deadline:
Hawks Trade Scenario No. 1
Hawks receive: G Marcus Smart, G/F Romeo Langford, G Payton Pritchard, BOS 2021 1st Round Pick, BOS 2023 1st Round Pick
Celtics Receive: F John Collins, G Tony Snell
This is the best trade scenario for both teams. The Celtics are in need of a big man who can remove the load of All Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Collins, who averaged 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game last season, scores best through low-maintenance cuts and putbacks for the Hawks. His defense can also spark the Celtics’ frontcourt and help them increase their chances to go up against the superior teams in the east.
As for the Hawks, they can add more backcourt depth with the addition of Smart and rookie Payton Pritchard. The team clearly wants to make a playoff push this season and the additional firepower of these two players could help do that. Imagine a backcourt with Trae Young and Smart paired with a reliable big man like Clint Capela—the Hawks can really boost their roster with this. In addition, they will be receiving the Celtics’ draft rights for Collins specifically their first-round pick (likely to fall in between 20-30) and their 2023 first-round pick which they may use as assets in other trade transactions.
Hawks Trade Scenario No. 2
Hawks get: Michael Porter Jr.
Nuggets get: John Collins
This trade scenario might be the unlikeliest from the two choices but just imagine the Hawks acquiring a potential All-Star player like the Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. Young and Porter have a great friendship thanks to the bond they formed when they were AAU teammates once upon a time. Adding Porter to the Hawks could give them an instant 15 and above this season, helping Young and Capela carry the offense. Porter has also experienced playing the Playoffs which could benefit the Hawks in the long run.
As for the Nuggets, they seem protective over Porter. But adding Collins to their squad will help strengthen their frontcourt even more led by MVP candidate Nikola Jokic. If they want to change things up, a combo of Jokic-Murray-Collins isn’t so bad to compete with come playoff time.
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