NBA Rumors: 3 playoff hopefuls in contention to sign John Collins in free agency

John Collins has been a popular name that has come up in multiple NBA trade rumors in recent times. The lanky power forward is a mercurial offensive talent and has drawn a lot of attention from franchisees who want to compete for an NBA championship.

NBA Rumors: John Collins attracting league-wide interest in Free Agency

Denver Nuggets v Atlanta Hawks

As per ESPN's NBA cap expert Bobby Marks, the Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and New York Knicks have expressed an interest in acquiring Atlanta Hawks' John Collins. The Wake Forest product reportedly rejected a contract extension worth $90 million with Atlanta Hawks and is expected to be a free agent.

NBA rumors suggest that John Collins could receive an offer sheet starting at $28 million for the first season from the aforementioned 3 teams. All three teams are in need for a front court player and Collins is an exciting prospect who can be groomed into a well-rounded power forward.

Denver Nuggets v Atlanta Hawks

John Collins is in his 4th year in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks. He has managed to put up an impressive 17.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game on a respectable 53.6% shooting from the field. However, he has been criticized for a lack of effort on the defensive side of the ball despite averaging a block per game.

The third annual NBA Trade Guide🏀What to watch for all 30 teams🏀The restrictions for each team🏀The trends of each front office Everything you need to know leading up to the March 25 deadline.https://t.co/fWgT3fMo1S

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 25, 2021

Collins was in a spectacular touch last season as well, averaging a double-double in the pandemic affected 2019/20 campaign. The Atlanta Hawks made some major moves this off-season, including adding Danilo Gallinari from OKC Thunder. Gallinari will likely replace John Collins in the starting lineup once he part ways with the team.

"John Collins ranks as the No. 1 power forward in free agency, and teams like Dallas, Miami and New York are well positioned to sign him to an offer sheet starting at $28 million for the first season."(Via ESPN’s Bobby Marks) pic.twitter.com/POV4w1zOBV

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) February 25, 2021

The Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks and Miami Heat all have had an indifferent start to the season. After reaching the NBA finals last season, the Heat have managed to muster an underwhelming 15-17 record so far. The Mavericks are sitting on a .500 record, while Knicks have a similar record to the Heat.