In the 2017 draft, the Hawks selected John Collins with the 19th pick. The big man quickly became one of the best young talents in the league. In the third season of his career, he has averaged more than 20 points per game, becoming one of the Eagles' on-field cores.
However, with the addition of Trae Young, all of this began to change. Especially this season, the Eagles have a record of pulling the crotch, ranking 12th in the East with only 17 wins and 22 losses, and the playoff places are in jeopardy. Every player on the Eagles was frustrated, especially Collins.
According to fameDewShams, John Collins has become increasingly frustrated with his role with the Hawks, whose shots and usage have declined over the past three seasons.
Multiple sources told The Athletic that Collins was increasingly frustrated with his role in the Eagles. His average shots per game and usage have declined over the past three seasons — though the athletic, energetic Collins has been improving his offensive ability. Collins has spoken out in the locker room several times this season, hoping the team would play team basketball, but his voice has been completely ignored.
"I hit my head against the wall several times to try to figure out why, and we have no excuse at all," Collins said in an interview after the Hawks lost 134-118 to the Los Angeles Lakers. 'All I can say is that it's unacceptable, we have to try to win and if we don't, today's defeat is our end."
In the offseason, Collins just signed a five-year, $125 million maximum salary extension contract with the Hawks. After January 15, Collins will be traded. This season, Collins is averaging 17.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. At present, there is no specific trading plan for Collins in the trading market. However, it is reported that the Eagles are Simmons' suitors. Collins + Reddish + Tim from the 76ers in exchange for Ben Simmons may be a win-win deal.
Last season, the Hawks just made history when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals and eventually lost to championship team bucks. In the new season, the Eagles' performance is collectively pulled, which is a big disappointment. In this case, the second head of the team, Collins, had the idea of leaving the team. Will the Hawks eventually trade him? Let's wait and see!