NBA Rumors: Atlanta Hawks wanted to swap John Collins with Lauri Markkanen
The Atlanta Hawks were linked in trade rumors with the Utah Jazz regarding John Collins. Yahoo! Sports' Jake Fischer revealed the trade proposal made by Atlanta.
The Atlanta Hawks have featured in a few trade rumors as of late. With some of their players being on the trade block, Atlanta has garnered some attention from teams around the league.
At this point in time, it has been made relatively evident that the Hawks are looking to shop John Collins. To facilitate this, Atlanta engaged in talks with teams such as the Utah Jazz and the Phoenix Suns.
The Suns outright declined any trade proposals involving John Collins. While this presented the Jazz as the frontrunners in any sweepstakes, Utah has also reportedly declined Atlanta's trade proposal.
However, there appears to be a good reason for this. Fischer reported on this in a recent article. While revealing the link between the Hawks and the Jazz, Fischer also mentioned the trade proposal from Atlanta. He wrote:
"The Jazz’s interest in Hawks forward John Collins is real, league sources said, and would seem to indicate Utah is considering how to add to this winning unit rather than subtract from it.
“Right now, the likelihood of Collins landing in Salt Lake City, though, seems low. Atlanta approached the Jazz about swapping Collins for Markkanen, sources said, which did not generate any traction."
Report: Hawks wanted to swap John Collins with Lauri Markkanen, Utah rejected ahnfiredigital.com/nba/atlanta-ha…
Fischer mentioned that the Jazz's interest in the Hawks big man was real. This is a positive sign for Atlanta as they continue their search for potential trade opportunities.
However, a straight-up swap involving Collins and Lauri Markkanen is certainly not something Utah would like to pursue, given Utah's stance on retaining the likes of Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Additionally, the Atlanta Hawks have seen a surge in interest for one of their other big men. Atlanta's Clint Capela has garnered significant interest from several teams in the league.
With the LA Clippers emerging as likely suitors as well, there is solid interest around the league for Capela.
Also Read: NBA Trade Rumors: Clint Capela is gaining interest from LA Clippers
The Atlanta Hawks would be better served by not making any changes
The Atlanta Hawks made a fair amount of noise in the offseason. Making a trade with the San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta managed to acquire Dejounte Murray.
The pairing of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray was immediately beneficial for the young team. With a 11-7 record, the Hawks are among the top four teams in the Eastern Conference.
The star-studded backcourt duo is also supported by a solid frontcourt trio of John Collins, Clint Capela and De'Andre Hunter. The starting lineup for the team itself appears to be fairly solid.
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen has certainly been lighting it up this season. While the Hawks' interest in the young Finnish player is valid, Atlanta may have been overestimating Collins' value in comparison.
While the Atlanta Hawks have reportedly made attempts to offload Collins, the team could be best served by keeping the core together. The established chemistry between Young, Collins and Capela is enough of a reason to justify this.