NBA Rumors: Mavericks, Spurs Looking to Lure John Collins Away From Hawks?

The Atlanta Hawks found themselves a stellar young player in John Collins. Although they grabbed him outside of the lottery with the 19th overall pick during the 2017 NBA Draft, the Hawks quickly found out they landed a gem.

For the last four seasons, Collins has shown tons of improvement. As he's averaged 17 points per game throughout the first few years of his career, the 23-year-old forward's next contract will certainly reward him for his play.

But where will that contract come from? The Atlanta Hawks haven't had the opportunity to re-sign Collins just yet. As expected, they'll have an interest in doing so this offseason, but other teams also want in on the Collins sweepstakes.

Count the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs as two teams interested in luring Collins away from the Hawks. According to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, the Spurs and the Mavs are "known to have registered interest in John Collins."

Just how realistic is it for Collins to leave the Hawks, though? Per Fischer's report, it might be unlikely. "It appears the Atlanta forward will likely re-sign with the Hawks following their sprint to the Eastern Conference Finals," Fischer wrote in his latest NBA free agency news dump.

According to the report, Collins' next contract could surpass $120 million in total value. No surprises there. If Atlanta can afford to bring Collins back, it would be a no-brainer decision. As for Collins, a return seems like the obvious choice.

As the Hawks impressed as a five-seed in the playoffs last year, making a run to the ECF, it seems like a logical move to try and run it back with the young squad. If Collins does indeed return to Atlanta, the Hawks could be a threat to the East for years to come.