Atlanta Hawks star John Collins gets roasted after tough loss

Salt in the wound. That’s the only way to describe the immediate aftermath of the Atlanta Hawks’ 110-108 loss to the Chicago Bulls a few nights ago. Not only did Chicago get the win in a similar situation to the Hawks’ win over them just 10 days earlier, but they celebrated by dousing Ayo Dosunmu with water on the court after he hit the game-winner.

That wasn’t the worst part for the Hawks, though,

Forward John Collins did not have his best game, to put it lightly. The 25-year-old big man had just four points on 40% shooting with seven rebounds and one steal as he battled early foul troubles.

Again, though, that was not the worst part as Collins, unfortunately, found himself at the bottom of the Bulls’ celebratory dog pile naturally leading to jokes on social media.

John Collins gets roasted after Atlanta Hawks’ buzzer-beating loss to CHI

Kevin Chouinard of NBA.com defended Collins as the only Hawks player to do the right thing on that possession.

Stephen Noh of Sporting News also pointed out Dejoute Murray coming to Collins’ rescue

Collins has had quite a tenure in Atlanta and might be the most polarizing player on a team that also features Young. For all of the discussion over what Young’s ceiling as a leader and top option is, there is generally little doubt over his raw talent. Collins has not been as fortunate somewhat as a circumstance of his perpetual trade availability.

Those rumors got stoked by a report from Marc Stein of The Stein Line that the Hawks have “widened the scope” of their trade talks with the high-flying big man. Stein lists the Brooklyn Nets, Indiana Pacer, Utah Jazz, and Washington Wizards as “primary” among the potential suitors.

He also notes that Collins was nearly traded to the Sacramento Kings for Harrison Barnes.

With the recent front office upheaval, there are questions about how new team president Landry Fields will handle what has been an ongoing ordeal between player and organization.

“Obviously meant a lot to me,” Collins told reporters of outgoing president Travis Schlenk who drafted him but is moving into a consultatory role, “starting my tenure with an NBA team here in Atlanta. Travis, again, believing in me and using that…19th pick to take me. So, I feel like Travis is forever in the positive with me just for giving me an opportunity to start my NBA career.”

Young has said that he and Fields speak regularly and there has been friction between him and Collins in the past.

As Collins has been mired in his worst season yet, this is a storyline to keep an eye on as the Hawks get set to take on the Pistons Friday.