Despite being a key part of the Atlanta Hawks' core group, John Collins has still seen his name constantly dragged into what feels like unending trade rumors. Hawks general manager Landry Fields was recently asked to address this ongoing saga, and the former NBA swingman provided a bit of an unfiltered perspective on the matter at hand.

Fields admits that this is one of the most prominent issues he's faced during his time as the top executive for the Hawks. The 34-year-old made it abundantly clear that Atlanta is not shopping out Collins (h/t Mark Medina of NBA.com):

“I always get asked that question one way or the other. John is a valuable player,” Fields said. “… The truth of the matter is that John Collins is still on the Hawks. We still have value in him, too. This isn’t one of those, ‘We have to get off of John.’ That’s absurd.”

Be that as it may, Fields did seem to imply that the Hawks are indeed fielding calls for Collins:

“There’s a misinterpretation of that,” he continued. “You always think of the player from that standpoint because he is constantly in talks. You try to make sure with him that we check in and make sure he’s doing all right. It’s something where it’s less about wondering if he’s the long-term fit and it’s more about the fact that he gets called on a lot. The moment those calls come up, people talk. Then all of a sudden, here we are in the media with this thought that John Collins is not wanted by the Hawks.”

Fields did not directly say that Collins is on the trade block. However, he did admit that opposing teams have inquired about the 6-foot-9 power forward. Fields also did not indicate that Atlanta has turned down these inquiries, which could point to the fact that while he is still considered a valuable piece, John Collins may not be indispensable. It's likely that the 24-year-old will still be pestered by trade rumors throughout the summer, and it wouldn't be a complete shock if he ends up playing for a different squad next season.