Mavericks 'In Market' for John Collins Trade with Hawks
The Dallas Mavericks have gotten off to slow start for the third consecutive season. Despite having some bright moments, stability is lacking, and the Mavs' front office might have to make some changes at some point.
Dallas has huge wins against teams like the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, and Milwaukee Bucks, but it has followed those up by posting disappointing losses to teams like the Orlando Magic, OKC Thunder – who the Mavs take on for the second time on Monday night – and Detroit Pistons.
You never know what you're going to get from this team, and that's a problem, considering the Mavs had hopes of building on their Western Conference Finals run from last season. Could a trade be in the works to help improve the roster around Luka Doncic?
The Athletic's Shams Charania reported on Monday that the Mavericks could be in play for Atlanta Hawks' forward John Collins.
"Meanwhile, the Hawks have had several teams in the Collins market, such as Utah, Washington, Brooklyn and Dallas, sources said"
The Atlanta big man may be the most rumored trade candidate of the last three years – along with Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner – as his name always seems to make the rounds without actually being dealt.
In 24 games this season, Collins is averaging 12.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game on career-lows shooting from the field at 48.4 percent and just 21.9 percent from 3-point range.
Despite the slow start, Collins would give the Mavericks a lot of what Christian Wood provides Dallas on offense while being an upgrade on the defensive end.
One downfall of Collins is his injury history. It seems that, every season, Collins goes down with one or two injuries that leaves him out for weeks at a time. Over the last four years, Collins has missed at least 19 games each season.
Now, what could a potential trade look like for Collins? Here's an idea:
Hawks receive: Christian Wood, Reggie Bullock, and a future second-round pick
Mavericks receive: John Collins and Justin Holiday.
For Atlanta, Wood is an upcoming unrestricted free agent who would replace Collins' role on the offensive end of the floor as a versatile stretch big. He would also fit well with Trae Young and Dejounte Murray in the pick-and-roll.
The Hawks have been rumored to have interest in trading for Suns forward Jae Crowder, which could mean they'd have interest in Bullock as well, given that they're similar players. Though Bullock has struggled shooting so far this season, he would bolster Atlanta's perimeter defense.
Acquiring Collins would provide Dallas with a young, quality player who is under contract for three more years, including a player option in 2025-26. He would fit well next to Doncic, and with the additional years left on his deal, the Mavs would have the opportunity to flip Collins in a bigger deal down the line to help capitalize on Doncic's timeline if needed.
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