3 NBA Teams That Need to Try to Trade for John Collins
By Jack Murphy
The Atlanta Hawks are still in the process of rebuilding, but it seems as if the team is starting to get impatient with the process. Recent reports had the team linked with Andre Drummond, a move which was largely perceived to be questionable at best. The latest reports, however, suggest the Hawks could actually entertain the possibility of trading one of their young stars.
According to Ric Bucher, John Collins is believed to be on the trade block, and if that is in fact the case, here are a few teams who should be in hot pursuit of the 22-year-old.
3. Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers are in win now mode as LeBron James is on the back end of his career. With Kyle Kuzma's future in LA looking bleaker by the day, the team could try to move him in a potential deal to bring aboard Collins. He could be a productive piece off the bench for the championship caliber team, while providing better size and rebounding than Kuzma. It may be unlikely, but the Lakers should at least see if the Hawks would be interested in a swap.
2. Miami Heat
The Miami Heat are the surprise team of the season as they currently hold a 32-15 record. Adding a player like Collins may push the Heat to championship tier. He would be a perfect fit in Miami as well and the Heat would benefit from another quality big man playing alongside Bam Adebayo.
1. Houston Rockets
The Rockets have been exploring the possibility of offloading Clint Capela, and he could be a good fit on the heavily offensive-minded Hawks team. Capela is a firm defender and a tenacious rebounder, which is exactly what the Hawks need. While a one-for-one deal seems unlikely, there's bound to be a way these teams can work out a swap.