The Atlanta Hawks expressed earlier this month that they were willing to listen to offers on star power forward John Collins. The four-year veteran is going to draw interest and big money for multiple teams this offseason and if the Hawks are to get anything back for him they need to strike while the iron is hot.
Collins has played well this season, he has had to adjust to playing alongside big man Clint Capela who owns the paint. As a result, his numbers are slightly down at 18.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game.
These are still really impressive numbers that would interest most teams in the association. Well, according to a recent Slam Online article, the Minnesota Timberwolves have expressed interest in John Collins as a target to help improve their frontcourt. Let’s take a look at how a possible trade between the Timberwolves and Hawks may look.
The Atlanta Hawks need to give a little to get a little.
This trade is a simple three-player swap for each team. While it might nice to imagine getting the Timberwolves star player Karl-Anthony Towns, he plays the same position as Capela and this would be a waste of cap space.
Instead, the Hawks give up Tony Snell and his hefty contract worth $12.1 million, Collins, and rookie Onyeka Okongwu. While it hurts to give up Okongwu, what the Hawks get back is an upgrade for a franchise looking to improve their position in the standings.
The Hawks receive sharp-shooter Malik Beasley, a solid bench prospect in Jake Layman, and backup center Naz Reid. Let’s take a look at why each team agrees to this trade.
Why the Minnesota Timberwolves agree to the trade with the Atlanta Hawks
As stated earlier, the Timberwolves are looking to improve their frontcourt. Towns is doing what he can on the offensive end, he is a true stretch-five, taking 5.0 shots per game from deep and hitting them at 37.5 percent.
Putting a player like Collins next to him in the starting lineup makes the team so much more dangerous. With Collins and Towns on the court at the same time, it is going going to be hard to out-rebound them.
Adding Okongwu to this trade also has the ability to impact the Timberwolves now and into the future. He is a defensively-minded center who plays a similar game to Hawks incumbent Clint Capela. As such, he is finding it hard to get court time.
If he was to be traded to the Timberwolves, Okongwu would be on the same timeline as their young core and could grow with them. This should help make the Timberwolves a very good team in the coming years.
The last part of the trade is Tony Snell. While he may look like he is in there to help make salaries match, Snell is a hard-nosed defender who can mentor some of the younger players. He could also be flipped to a contender for the Timberwolves to gain more assets.
Why the Atlanta Hawks agree to this trade.
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The Hawks are looking to improve their standings now and as a result, giving up a future piece such as Okongwu could be tough. However, they will get the second-year center Naz Reid in return, who is just 22 years old.
Reid gives the Hawks coaching staff options as he is 6’9″ but also shoots the ball at 34.0 percent from deep on 2.8 attempts per game. He can play alongside Capela or he can back him up, giving the Hawks a different look on offense when he is on the court.
Malik Beasley has been a walking bucket since he donned a Timberwolves uniform. He is averaging more than 20 points per game while shooting the 3-ball at greater than 40 percent on 8.7 attempts per game. He could come off the bench in a role similar to what Jordan Clarkson performs for the Utah Jazz.
Jake Layman is the last part of the deal. The young small forward has played for the Portland Trail Blazers and now the Timberwolves. He has developed into a solid bench presence who recognizes where and when he needs to score and can make the opposition pay from inside or out.