Atlanta Hawks: 5 trade options to replace John Collins

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Atlanta Hawks. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Atlanta Hawks fans have been getting bombarded the past few weeks with rumors about John Collins who is set to be a restricted free agent. That continued on Tuesday when Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the market for Collins is expected to be robust, including teams like the Dallas Mavericks and division-rival Miami Heat.

This could put the Hawks in a bind. They’ve been vocal about wanting to retain his services. But the powers that be have also been clear they won’t go above what they view as a fair value.

For Collins, who averaged 17.6 points and 7.4 rebounds while sacrificing some personal glory, that just means whatever a team is willing to pay. But for Atlanta, that has to mean they maintain some flexibility with several other core players needing financial attention soon.

Trae Young is at the top of the list, and his rookie max is as close to a guaranteed done deal as you could get. After him, though, is Kevin Huerter who proved to be much more than a jump shooter this past postseason. With several high-priced vets also on the roster, it’s easy to see how this could get ugly for the Hawks.

Further complicating matters is a relatively weak free-agent class at the position.

The Atlanta Hawks could turn to the trade market if John Collins price becomes to rich for their liking

The top names expected to be available are James Jones, Kelly Olynyk, and Paul Millsap. Olynyk is the youngest at 30. Montrezl Harrell could be an option if he follows along with his cryptic social media activity and opt-out in Los Angeles.

None of those names are suitable replacements for Collins, even if there is a limit to how much the Hawks are willing to pay him.

Alternatively, the NBA Draft might land them a solid prospect. But expecting a rookie capable of giving you 20 and 10 on any given night is beyond lofty. That leaves them with one option in which they can be proactive in the event Collins winds up elsewhere next season, the trade market. And they have some intriguing options too.