John Collins Trade: Can Mavs Make Deal With Hawks?
According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, the Dallas Mavericks were very interested in attempting to trade for John Collins or Myles Turner around this year’s deadline. DallasBasketball.com Editor-In-Chief Dalton Trigg followed by giving his thoughts on how the Mavs could make a trade like that work.
It has been reported that the Atlanta Hawks are interested in moving on from John Collins this offseason. Collins is coming off of this season, where he averaged 16.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and one block per game. Given how good Luka Doncic makes Dwight Powell look in the regular season, it’s easy to see the appeal of a Collins trade for Dallas.
In order to make this work, though, it would more than likely involve a sign-and-trade of Jalen Brunson to Atlanta. In theory, this would give the Mavericks an upgraded frontcourt presence that they desperately need. It would provide Atlanta with a consistent second scoring option… But is Collins a player the Mavs would deem worthy of having to part with Brunson to acquire?
One of the biggest decisions for the Mavericks to make this offseason has to do with Brunson’s free agency. The front office, including Mark Cuban, has already come out and expressed its desire to see him back in Dallas. In fact, the Mavs are calling it their top priority.
Although the Mavs have the advantage for re-signing Brunson due to the fact that they can pay him the most money, that hasn’t stopped other teams from sniffing around his availability with free agency on the horizon. First, his father, Rick Brunson, was hired by the New York Knicks, which some see as a tactic to lure him away. The Detroit Pistons have also been mentioned as potential suitors as well.
Brunson showed tremendous improvement this season, as he averaged a career-high 16.3 points, 4.8 assists and became a full-time starter for first-year Mavs coach Jason Kidd. He seems to have found a comfortable role on this Dallas team, playing off of Luka Doncic in the starting lineup and taking the reins when Doncic takes a breather. However, with the logjam of guards the Mavericks have on their roster, and their obvious need for a big man, the sign-and-trade scenario with the Hawks could make sense if Dallas has any doubts about potentially paying Brunson $25 million per year or more.
If the Mavs re-sign Brunson, this offseason will be pretty open-and-closed for the most part. But if they don’t? Things could get interesting in a hurry.
With just two weeks left before draft night, where some wild things can occur, Mavericks nation will just have to watch, and wait to see how it all unfolds.
