It's safe to say John Collins is happy to have finally beed traded from the Atlanta Hawks. Even better for the seventh-year veteran? The time he spent in Atlanta has given Collins extra appreciation for how the Utah Jazz approach the game.
Asked at Media Day what's surprised him about the Jazz since being dealt to Salt Lake City in late June, Collins didn't exactly shy away from implicit criticism of the Hawks while praising his new team.
“I'd say the one thing that has surprised me is the lack of ego here,” he said. “It's refreshing, you know what I mean, to have a group of guys that truly emphasize playing team basketball and that want to do so. It's nice for me to see and exciting for me to be around. That helps me wake up in the morning motivated to go play.”
Collins' fraught Atlanta tenure came to an end on June 27th, when Utah acquired him in exchange for Rudy Gay and a second-round pick—an effective salary dump by the Hawks. Atlanta had basically been trying to move Collins ever since he put pen to paper on a five-year, $125 million contract extension in the summer of 2021. But his value quickly declined after career-best seasons in 2019-20 and 2020-21, Collins' shooting struggles and declining usage only adding to underlying friction between he and franchise player Trae Young, one of the most ball-dominant players in the NBA.
Like Utah did last season under Will Hardy, the Hawks are turning a new page in 2023-24, the first full season of Quin Snyder's tenure on the sidelines. The early signs about Young's buy-in and Atlanta's improved culture are certainly encouraging. Regardless, it's clear Collins is happy to be in Salt Lake City, starting a long-awaited new chapter with the Jazz.
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