According to ESPN, the Atlanta Hawks are moving forward John Collins to the Utah Jazz in a trade that gives the organisation significant financial freedom.
According to reports, the Hawks are obtaining forward Rudy Gay and a future second-round selection in exchange for Collins, who is guaranteed $78 million over the next three seasons. The Hawks will receive a $25.3 million trade exception, the most in the NBA. Atlanta has a year to exercise the exemption to possibly take on a player's contract.
The trade will not be finalised until July 6.
Collins, 25, joins the Jazz as a versatile forward on a front line that includes All-Star Lauri Markkanen and All-Rookie centre Walker Kessler. In addition, Utah selected Taylor Hendricks, a power forward from Central Florida, with the ninth choice in Thursday's NBA draught. Under first-year coach Will Hardy, the Jazz were an offensive revelation, and Collins' addition might help Utah return to the Western Conference playoffs next season.
For more than a year, the Hawks and Jazz have discussed various iterations of the deal, but the realities of the league's new collective bargaining agreement have made the balance of Collins' contract difficult to move for a return of assets – similar to the Golden State Warriors' recent unloading of Jordan Poole and the $130 million-plus owed to him.
Atlanta's acquisition of Gay – who, according to his agent, Sam Permut of Roc Nation Sports, exercised his $6.4 million player option for next season as part of the trade – allows the Hawks to fall far below the $182.5 million second apron and the $165 million luxury tax threshold for the 2023-24 season.
Nonetheless, the Hawks are likely to continue in the deal-making mode this offseason, and ownership has given general manager Landry Fields the green light to enter the luxury tax if necessary to enhance the squad, according to sources.
The loss of Collins also provides Atlanta with a better opportunity to negotiate contract extensions for three of its young key players: Dejounte Murray, Onyeka Okongwu, and Saddiq Bey.
Collins' departure will also allow forward Jalen Johnson to play a more important role in his third season.
Positioning themselves below the NBA's new second-apron tax level before 2024 ensures that the Hawks will be immune to the punitive team-building requirements that might have severely limited the franchise's roster flexibility.
Collins, the Hawks' 19th overall choice in 2017, has developed into one of the Eastern Conference's top forwards. In six seasons with the Hawks, he averaged 15.8 points and 8.0 rebounds per game, including 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds in 2022-23.
Collins is one of only five players in the last six seasons to average 15 points on 55% or better shooting, according to ESPN Stats & Information statistics. Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jonas Valanciunas, and Domantas Sabonis are the other four.