Hawks big man John Collins is entering the final year of his rookie contract and is on track to become a restricted free agent in 2021 if he and the team don’t work out an extension by Monday’s deadline. While it remains to be seen whether the two sides will finalize a new deal in the coming days, team owner Tony Ressler is among those hoping that Collins remains in Atlanta for years to come, writes Chris Kirschner of The Athletic.
“I would love to see John with the Atlanta Hawks for an extended period of time,” Ressler said. “John’s a really good young player and a really good kid. I hope we can figure out a very fair and reasonable contract for him. I know (general manager) Travis (Schlenk) is very focused on keeping John Collins with the Atlanta Hawks.”
Schlenk and the Hawks are known to have talked to Collins’ camp about a potential extension, and I’d imagine those discussions will continue either until an agreement is reached or until Monday’s deadline passes. Both the Hawks and Collins have said they’d like to reach an agreement, and the club isn’t preserving cap space for 2021, so it will be interesting to see if the two sides can find common ground.
Collins stated back in the spring that he believes he’s a candidate for a maximum-salary contract, but there’s “zero indication” that the Hawks are willing to go that high at this point, as Kirschner writes. Although Collins put up big numbers (21.6 PPG, 10.1 RPG) in 41 games last season, he has to establish himself as a franchise cornerstone on the level of Jayson Tatum, Bam Adebayo, or Donovan Mitchell, who each signed max rookie extensions earlier in the offseason.
[RELATED: 2020/21 NBA Contract Extension Tracker]
If Atlanta is going to lock up Collins in the coming days, it will have to be at a somewhat discounted price, according to Kirschner — Ressler’s comment about negotiating a “fair and reasonable” deal reflects that stance. If they feel as if Collins’ asking price is too high, the Hawks can simply evaluate the 23-year-old’s performance over the course of the 2020/21 season and make a decision when he reaches restricted free agency.
Collins is one of 20 players still eligible to sign a rookie scale extension by Monday. Here’s the full list.
I think 4yrs/$80M would be a fair price for Collins
He’s better than gallinari and grant he can exceed 20 a year
Don’t forget I am an “expert”
John Collins Fair contract value 4 years 110 million
I have adjusted it to small market
Compare
Siakam 4 year 129 million
Jaylen Brown 4 year 115 million
Sabonis 4 year 85 million
He’s closer to Sabonis than Brown
Comparing Collins to Brown or Siakam might be a bit premature.
Premature? He was better than both of them last year.
I think he is an underrated player . Should get a contract extension of 27 million per year. I think he is a better player than young . Young is an entertainer . Don’t see him leading as a main player a team deep into the playoffs. If only Atlanta kept Don.
Hawks view Young as a franchise player, Young will get max
Knicks view Cole Anthony as a franchise player, Cole would get max
But Knicks planned to take him at 27th
Knicks have just lost stars Davis and Giannis recently, they will be crazy like a fox. They can offer Collins 133 million plus 15% trade kicker for Collins in July
Are you scary?
I guess it’s all in the eye of the beholder, but I see Collins as an overrated player. Almost every bucket he gets is undefended because Trae is pulling everyone to him. Put Collins on a team with a PG who doesn’t break down defenses as well as Trae and I am just not convinced Collins is very good.
Not saying Trae is all that mind you, but point blank, I just don’t think Collins is much without him. No d, no ability to make his own shot, average rebounder for his position. Just not seeing it. I certainly hope I am wrong on this and the Hawks can either sign him and have a superstar, or at worst leverage his bloated stats in a trade.
John Collins should get a 4y\ 80mil
76ers and Heat won’t give Rockets better deal than this
This is my best trade idea at TD
Harden for
Collins
Gallo
Okongwu
Hunter
No picks needed to be attached because Hunter and Okongwu are picks
Rockets go luxury tax free
Hawks need one more trade
Harden absolutely needed to sign 2 years extension with Hawks.
Hawks had a good off season, but I’m still not sold on their FO. Collins is one reason. I think the FO undervalues him. Just a sense, but I had the same sense with the Kings and BB over the past season or so, and that ended with him leaving on an unmatched offer sheet. I would never trade significant assets for a player this good in the year before a RFA offseason, unless I was willing to max him AND believed his existing team is as well, if needed.
JC is a max, as simple as!
He shouldn’t take a penny less… ATL are screwing up big time here!
My projection
Rudy Gobert
5 years 180m
Or 4 years 150m
Because Utah is a small market
John Collins is 5 months older than Obi Toppin, the Knicks
But Collins is far better than Toppin