For the second consecutive year, according to John Collins, the 23-year-old power forward of the Falcons, it is available despite his large numbers … and that Atlanta is competing for a playoff game.
So Sam Amick of The Athletic wrote on Friday: “Nevertheless, sources say the Hawks are willing to listen to offers for Collins (this should not surprise anyone).”
One big reason is, as Amick wrote, that Collins needs to be extended this summer and that he has already turned down a $ 90 million offer from Hawks owners. So, if they are not willing to pay him and rather get something for him than lose him for free, then do not listen to offers.
And Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson tweeted that two contestants are among those named by the Hawks. He did not name the teams, but it should be noted, as last week a year ago, that the Nets have an interest in Collins.
At the time, Chris Kirschner, also of The Athletic, wrote that Nets expressed interest in John Collins … and that “Spencer Dinwiddie” was called “in conversations that Kirschner admitted might not have been so ‘advanced.’
There are, as Kirschner wrote at the time and Amick now writes, major issues for the Hawks, starting with the way Collins represents a large part of the Hawks’ present, if not their future.
As Peachtree Hoops, our sister site, remarked Friday in an article titled, “The situation of John Collins is not one the Falcons can afford,” no matter how stellar Collins was.
Collins has made more than 40% of his tries in the last 65 games (last season + this season), averaging 20.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocks over the period. His real shooting percentage in the range is 65.5%, and he has made tremendous progress as a defender. No one knows this better than the Hawks, as it appears in national circles that Collins is still a negative point in the defensive action. This is simply not the case, and has been for some time.
This season, along with Clint Capela, Collins has made a positive contribution on both sides. Capela and Collins occupy second place in the Eastern Conference defense rankings among two men who played at least 350 minutes together, about which Kevin Chouinard wrote in January. To further illustrate the point, Collins and De’Andre Hunter are the fourth best two-man series in this area, while Collins and Trae Young finished fifth (yes, you read that right).
So why should I not spend? Well, Atlanta is not a team with a mega-rich owner, and they have even younger majors that they like. And they’ll have to pay a lot of money to Trae Yong.
That brings us to the Brooklyn Nets. Let’s assume that last year’s story was correct and that they’re still interested. That would be a very Sean Marks move. Marks is not sentimental, as he proves that he was in favor of D’Angelo Russell’s Kyrie Irving, dealing with four players, including favorites Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen, to acquire James Harden … and to Kenny to shower (or whatever you want to call it). Atkinson. Marks see a problem and try to solve it.
How would such a trade work? Well, as with last year’s rumors, one piece should almost certainly be Spencer Dinwiddie, everyone’s favorite piece. He has a player option this summer and is currently earning $ 12.3 million. Adrian Wojnarowski reported a week ago that ‘there are teams interested in trading for him. to have his bird rights, to be able to sign him potentially long-term. ”
Collins makes almost exactly a third of what Dinwiddie makes, at $ 4.1 million. Maybe the Hawks want the Nets to sign another contract while claiming a young player. The Nets have NO first rounds they can trade. They’re all south to Houston. What they do have are some young sizes, 20-year-old Reggie Perry and 21-year-old Nic Claxton, both with Georgia connections. Perry grew up there, Claxton plays college ball there. Both have very cheap deals.
Then there is the big question? Would the Nets be willing to pay what Collins wants if they get him? Brooklyn will have his Bird Rights so they can sign him off the payroll, but Joe Tsai will have to agree to pay a large, and ultimately historic, luxury tax.
The Nets are currently investigating the possibility of maximum extensions for the big three: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Yossi Gozlan, in a Hoopshype podcast with Mike Scotto, outlined what maximum extensions would look like … including how the maximum numbers would be in 2025-26, when they would be between 33 and 37 years old.
Harden: four years, $ 161.1 million
2026: $ 57.7 million
Durant: four years, $ 197.7 million
2026: $ 54.7 million
Irving: four years, $ 181.6 million
2026: $ 50.5 million
These are three $ 50 million players on the same team in 2026, when Collins may also be under contract. You’ve been talking nine-digit luxury tax payments for a long time. Tsai has shown that he is willing to pay, not only with the Nets, but also with the Liberty, but that’s a lot to ask any owner, even whose net worth has jumped $ 4 billion since he bought the Nets .
Would not Collins? A 6’9 ”power forward who can shoot and bounce back? Of course, in the long run, Collins could be a piece in what Marks hopes will be a sustainable Nets future. We do not know whether the Falcons will eventually agree to trade an important piece, whether the Nets are interested, whether they will trade assets, whether Tsai is willing to pay the bill, and of course whether another team will come in and grab Collins. But we would be surprised if we did not hear more about Collins and Brooklyn. Keep an eye on this space.