Hawks finally trading big man to Jazz after year of tireless efforts

It was reported just over one year ago that the Hawks were looking to trade Collins before the 2022 NBA Draft. That never happened, and he not only stayed in Atlanta through last offseason but survived the entire 2022-23 campaign with Trae Young and company as well.

Unfortunately for Atlanta, Collins' trade value tanked significantly over the winter, as the 25-year-old had arguably his worst season since his 2017-18 rookie year. Collins played in 71 games (making a career-high 71 starts), but his 50.8% field goal percentage and 29.2% three-point field goal percentage were both the worst marks of his career.

His 13.1 points per game during the regular season was the lowest figure since 2018 and his 6.5 rebounds per contest was a career low. In the Hawks' six-game first-round playoff loss to the Boston Celtics, Collins averaged a measly 11.3 points and 4.3 rebounds with a .433/.344/.833 shooting line.

In his defense, Collins has been tasked with sharing the frontcourt with former rebounding champion Clint Capela for the past three seasons — limiting his opportunities for boards and points down low — though that didn't seem to impact him as much in the past.

Collins finished inside the NBA's top 20 in field goal percentage, effective field goal percentage and offensive rating during the 2021-22 season but was nowhere to be found on the leaderboard in the recently concluded campaign.

As ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports, the Hawks-Jazz deal can't be finalized until July 6, but it's clear that a Collins-for-Rudy Gay and a second-round pick is a far cry from what Atlanta could've landed in a trade last June. 

Among the names involved in rumors of a potential Collins deal last summer was three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, who ended up being sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Per Wojnarowski, when the deal becomes official, it will give the Hawks "dramatic financial flexibility," as the trade will lead to a $25.3M trade exception for the organization, which is the largest in the NBA.

"Woj" adds that the move "allows the Hawks to drop far below the $182.5M second apron and beneath the $165M luxury tax threshold for the 2023-24 season."