NBA Mock Trade: Thunder Push For Play-In, Acquire John Collins From Hawks
It’s no secret John Collins is on the trade block yet again. As first reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania, Collins is available for the right price, even after the Atlanta Hawks signed him to a new deal.
With the Oklahoma City Thunder sitting at 11-13 on the season, is it time for them to make a move to push for the play-in tournament? It appears at this point, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is too good for this team to be a bottom team in the lottery race.
Late last week, Bleacher Report even identified John Collins as a player the Thunder should target. Furthermore Fast Break’s Brett Siegel has reported that the Oklahoma City was among the teams inquiring about Collins before the 2022 NBA Draft over the summer.
The explosive forward would fix a lot of problems for the Thunder, adding a physical forward that can rebound and stretch the floor vertically. The Hawks have been pretty underwhelming this season and could be enticed to make a roster shakeup sooner than later.
It all comes down to what they’re interested in. Is it players to help win now? Is it picks to use for a secondary trade later this season? Either way, Oklahoma City could help on both fronts.
The Thunder have a logjam at the guard spot, meaning Lu Dort could be expandable. Both players produce similar numbers offensively, while Dort is much better as a defender. Him alongside Dejounte Murray would be a dominant perimeter duo to lock up opposing guards.
It would essentially be a position swap, but the shakeup could be good for both teams. Dort can’t be traded for a bit longer given he was just signed to a new deal, but these two teams could make it work when the time comes.
Collins is still young enough to fit the Thunder’s timeline, especially if they feel they’re close to emerging is a good team in the next year or two.
There would have to be additional pieces added to the package for both sides to sweeten the pot, but a deal centered around Dort and Collins could certainly work.
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