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John Collins is set to become a restricted free agent this summer. That's because NBA rumors suggest the Atlanta Hawks are unlikely to re-sign the player due to their lack of cap space.
Multiple teams have been keeping an eye on Collins' situation, as a result. He was pivotal in the Hawks' run to the Conference Finals this year and could be a solid addition to a team looking to add a scorer and rebounding machine at the four.
John Collins has averaged 19.3 points and nine rebounds on 57% field-goal shooting in his three years with the Atlanta Hawks. These are phenomenal numbers, considering he is just 23 and is yet to hit his prime.
The Atlanta Hawks would have preferred to have him back on a long-term deal, but John Collins took a chance by not signing a two-year extension in December last year. He considered himself good enough to land a max-deal this summer. And the way he performed in the postseason, it is difficult to argue why he doesn't deserve a max deal or something close to that.
Should the Atlanta Hawks not re-sign Collins, the player will have plenty of suitors, as already mentioned earlier. On that note, here are the top three teams that could acquire John Collins and also make the best use of what he could offer as a player.
#3 Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors aren't a team linked with John Collins yet, but he is an intriguing option for them to consider. They are coming off a dismal campaign plagued by injuries and are likely to see their main-man Kyle Lowry leave this summer as a free agent.
The Raptors ended their regular season with a 27-45 record, failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons. They will likely be heading into next season with Pascal Siakam on the sidelines for a significant amount of time as he underwent shoulder surgery.
They require more frontcourt depth, and Collins could provide them with just that. He is a player who can deliver 20/10 outings consistently and can space the floor as well. Collins improved immensely at the defensive end under Nate McMillian during the 2020-21 NBA campaign as well.
The Toronto Raptors have four key pieces at the moment in the form of Fred VanVleet, Gary Trent Jr., OG Anunoby and Siakam. Collins could slot into that core and help the team make a huge leap in their mini-rebuild of sorts.
He could be deployed at four, which would allow head coach Nick Nurse to play Siakam at center (once he returns) in a more settled lineup that could play small-ball with great effect.
#2 San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs failed to qualify for the playoffs for two consecutive seasons for the first time under legendary head coach Greg Popovich. They finished tenth last season and are heading towards a rebuild. The Spurs have a young core this time around, with DeMar DeRozan, Patty Mills and Rudy Gay all set to enter free agency.
Popovich played DeRozan at 4 for most of the season. He is likely to part ways with the club, so John Collins could be his perfect replacement. Collins won't be running the team's offense like DeRozan but could at least build on his scoring and also improve the team defensively, an area they struggled in during the 2020-21 NBA season.
The Spurs have a lot of tradeable assets and almost $49 million available in cap space to spend in free agency. Moreover, John Collins also fits their timeline, as he is just 23, and the Spurs players who are on guaranteed deals have an average age of 22.6.
#1 Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are looking to build a solid supporting cast around Luka Doncic this summer. They came close to defeating the LA Clipper,s thanks to Doncic's efforts, but lost in seven games after twice squandering leads (2-0. 3-2) in round one of the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
It was evident that a better team around Doncic could have made the difference. Kristaps Porzingis was expected to play a huge role for the team but has been disappointing so far, making his future at the Mavericks highly uncertain. In that regard, John Collins could be an excellent addition to their ranks. Regardless of whether Porzingis stays or not, Collins could be a key part of the Mavericks lineup.
He has shown tremendous potential to be a two-way player and could help the Mavericks by being a reliable scoring option behind Luka Doncic and also help the team at the defensive end, an area they desperately need to improve.
