The Miami Heat are reportedly one of the teams expected to show interest in Atlanta Hawks big man John Collins this offseason.
“Dallas, Miami, San Antonio and Minnesota are among the teams expected to show interest in Collins, believing he could be attainable as a restricted free agent, sources said,” wrote Shams Charania of The Athletic. “Hawks owner Tony Ressler said after the season that he hoped the team reached a ‘fair agreement’ with Collins. Will the sides find that threshold?”
Collins, who is a 6-foot-9 power forward, is arguably one of the more underrated players in the NBA. In the 2020-21 season, he averaged 17.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while hitting 55.6 percent of his shots.
Collins’ best season came in the 2019-20 campaign. That year, he averaged 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. At just 23 years old, he likely has a lot left in the tank.
The Heat could use some help in the frontcourt, and Collins could fit right in. For a Miami team that was eliminated in the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs, adding some talent is going to be key this offseason.
Since Collins is a restricted free agent, the Hawks will have the opportunity to match or top any offer he receives on the open market. If Miami makes a competitive offer, the team might be able to pry Collins away from Atlanta.
