In Trae Young, the Atlanta Hawks have their star of the future and he’s really the only guy they need to secure for the long-term.
In fact, the newest whispers coming out of Georgia claim that the Hawks may be angling to move on from John Collins before this year’s draft later this week.
This year’s 24 Green Room invitees ties an NBA Draft record from 2019. Very little certainty among teams picking outside the top-12 which players are going to be available when they’re on the clock. One scout said there’s 50 players who believe they’re going in the first round.
One thing that is certain: the Atlanta Hawks, sources say, are operating with the goal of trading John Collins before Thursday night gets underway.
One thing that is certain: the Atlanta Hawks, sources say, are operating with the goal of trading John Collins before Thursday night gets underway. https://t.co/a6TWhJk13S
— Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer) June 22, 2022
Of course, nobody knows where Collins will land or if he will even be traded at all. But as a young and talented big man, he brings a lot to the table and could prove useful for a lot of teams in the East and West.
The Sacramento Kings are at least one organization with a known interest in Collins.
Sacramento general manager Monte McNair has engaged in conversations around Hawks forward John Collins — among a slew of other established, productive players in the market — but there has been no involvement of the No. 4 pick in the discussions centered on Collins, and McNair will ultimately make the decision on the pick, according to sources.
Clearly, the Hawks are still looking for answers after their early playoff elimination. Even with Young, Collins, and Capela, they were unable to make any noise this season.
But with the right moves, Atlanta could set itself up to be a true title contender in the future. At just 23 years old, the Trae Young era has really only just begun and there is plenty of time to re-tool and re-shape the roster around him before it’s too late.
