Hawks forward John Collins has been in the news as of late, with Shams Charania of The Athletic reporting on Monday that the big man is dissatisfied with his role in Atlanta, and Charania’s colleague Chris Kirschner adding that Collins has spoken to Nate McMillan about his offensive role but doesn’t feel like his concerns have been addressed. Charania noted within his story that Collins could even become a trade chip if Atlanta makes a serious play for Ben Simmons.
In the wake of those reports, Kirschner caught up with Collins for a more in-depth discussion. During that conversation, the 24-year-old admitted that he has been frustrated this season by both his role on offense and by the Hawks’ struggles. The team is currently 17-22, 12th in the East.
Speaking to Kirschner, Collins pointed out that his usage rate this season is the lowest it’s been since he was a rookie, but explained that he’s not necessarily asking to get the ball more — he wants his role to be more clearly defined by McMillan, who has said he doesn’t really call plays for the big man.
“I’m not sitting here complaining and saying I need more touches of the ball, or I need to score more points or need more shots. I’ve never complained about that,” Collins said. “All I’ve said, specifically, if there’s a way that I feel like is beneficial for everybody — and not just myself — is for us to be used in the correct way. That’s the angle I’m taking. If I’m saying it, it’s for us. I just want to be put in the best position to succeed, and that’s it. I feel like I’ve sacrificed and have continued to sacrifice as much as I can for the team. I just want to make sure that’s clear.”
Collins shared several more candid thoughts with Kirschner in the Q&A, which is worth checking out in full if you’re an Athletic subscriber. Here are a few more highlights:
On whether his frustration with his role is more acute this season because of the Hawks’ losing record:
“Of course. Everything is harder. My lunches and dinners taste worse. Going to sleep is harder. Everything is worse when you lose. When you win, it covers up a lot of s–t. When you lose, it uncovers a lot of s–t. When you lose, you want the situation to be fixed and figure out a way to handle it, but I know a lot of s–t starts to eke out when you lose like we have. That’s the type of s–t that happens when you’re losing. It’s part of the job.”
On why things are more challenging this season for Atlanta:
“Sometimes having success makes things difficult going forward. I think what we’re dealing with now is understanding the pressure of teams coming harder at us than before after seeing us play deep into the playoffs. Everybody is game-planning for us at a higher level, even though we’re in the regular season. Teams aren’t sleeping on us like we traditionally expected, at least for me, since I’ve been a Hawk. It’s a different situation now when teams come in here.
“It’s not saying we’re not ready, but it’s definitely a change of mentality. I think that sort of shocked us in the beginning and didn’t necessarily get us off to the right start. That’s the only issue I can see. It’s hard sometimes when you have success to repeat it. The East got better too.”
On whether he has had second thoughts about his desire to remain with the Hawks long-term:
“No. That’s why it’s frustrating when I’m mentioned in those kinds of (trade rumors). It always makes my fans, teammates and the organization not know where I might stand. I can’t be responsible for how someone feels when they’re processing what they’re reading. What I’m upset about is, sometimes, I can’t control my own narrative. I do my best to do so, but it’s part of the job. In terms of the Hawks and Atlanta, I don’t need to talk about it because I’ve talked about it enough. This is where I want to be.”
Raptors will take him
Kings will take him!
YOU signed the contract!
Thanks Sherlock
Yes and then they changed his role.
And he says he has no regrets about signing the deal and Atlanta is where he wants to be.
bulls will take him
With no doubt or question but what it will cost is another question I hate to see White and Williams go but if you can get Collins then find a way and this would make the Bulls the true threat of the East…
Most teams will take him. He’s probably a double-double guy on most teams. I do love his hunger.
Wolves will take him
I like his good attitude about it.
Why would ATL trade for a guy that choked against them in the playoffs & hasn’t played this season ??
Because he wouldn’t have to shoot as long as Trae Young is on the team (Or be allowed to..). Just pass, rebound and defend.
I really like his game and attitude, i don’t think he is a max guy but his contract isn’t bad at all.
I think most teams will take him, but i don’t see ATL moving him, if they do that will be a mistake, unless he wants out wich doesn’t seem to be the case.
I’d love to see Collins end up in Boston somehow. Boston could send either Marcus Smart or Al Horoford back to Atlanta along with a package of draft picks / younger players like Nesmith. Collins needs a new opportunity and Boston could provide a fresh start for him.
All the man is asking for is clarity of role.
Which as a coach you should be preaching that to every player. Who they are and how they fit in this team, i.e. what their role is.
He’s a hard worker. Gives effort. Calls his teammates to get better. Great fit next to Trae and Capela. They shouldn’t be thinking about moving him at all.
His role is stretch 4 when teams go small pound the ball inside with him , when they go big shoot outside the paint. The Hawks need a SG star someone like Beal , or Jaylen Brown cause Bogi is good but not 18 mil a year good. If Hawks get anybody from the 76ers it should be Tobias Harris move him to the 3
Tobias is a decent player high character guy…but to move him to the 3? All you need to do is look at his numbers at the 3 and the 4 to see why he seldom gets played at the 3…his d is atrocious at the 3 spot. Good guy and player but not at the 3
This trade would work:
Atlanta receives: Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Jake Layman, 2 future firsts
Minnesota: John Collins, Delon Wright, second rounder
He’s a good team player and just wants to win. He wont say it out loud, but he has issues with Trae ball hawking and taking so many shots. If they arent winning, they got to change the way they play. As good as Trae is, he’s too much into individual accolades like all star team, etc.
Is John Collins better than Ben Simmons?
Probably not, but in a weird they’re perfect inverses – Collins is the perfect off-ball quasi-star who provides almost no shot creation for others, while that’s literally all Simmons does (offensively).
If Philly could do two deals – trade Simmons for Collins, then move Harris for a perimeter creator (someone of Sexton’s caliber when healthy) then I think that would be an ideal team around Embiid. Not sure Harris has that type of value right now though.
For Atlanta, I’m not sure adding Ben Simmons to this roster helps. The team is probably suffering from too many chefs in the kitchen – adding a guy who’s literally sitting out an entire season largely because he felt his role wasn’t big enough might not be the most stabilizing play.
“a guy who’s literally sitting out an entire season largely because he felt his role wasn’t big enough”? Where did you come up with this? I’ve never seen any mention of this in regards to the current situation.
Been reported widely Simmons didn’t feel as though he was featured enough in the offense
I think as his teams second best player and as someone earning the rookie scale max he isn’t good enough.
But I like his play, his attitude and like him as a player.
It’s just if you have someone as good as Trae Young and your wanting to build a team that can win, your second best player has to be better than JC. Hawks were amazing last year and had a great playoff run but this year have regressed massively.
I’d have Capela, JC, Bogi, Hueter and Hunter all on the trade block and listening to offers.
My 5 man trade target wish list would be
Donovan Mitchell
Brandon Ingram
Ben Simmons
Damontas Sabonis
Christian Wood, KPJ and Picks
I still think in an ideal world you’d trade Bogi, Reddish and Hunter for Brandon Ingram.
Ingram is a solid defender, he also can create for others and help ease some of the play making off Trae. He rebounds well, he has improved a bunch as a shooter and can efficiently give you 20+ points per game.
I think he exactly what you need, a two way wing that’ll ease the playmaking duties on Trae and also give you 20+.
Trae, Ingram and JC make up your big three. Hueter and Capela make up your other starters.
I’d then try add a defensive minded guard/wing. Like Marcus Smart, Joe Ingles, KCP and Gary Harris for example. That way in the future off the bench you can play Cooper and Johnson with a veteran defender like one of these guys and have a really solid second unit.
Imo Trae is the problem
Trae has problems but he’s by far their best player. Without him they would be fighting the Pistons for the bottom of the east.
He has Curry level potential and look what GSW has around him, Draymond arguably one of the best defenders of this generation, Klay as a backcourt partner also a very very good defender plus have Iggy another very good wing defender and back in the day always a big strong bruising centre like Bogut, McGee, Pachulia etc.
Hawks have Capela to play the centre role but JC ain’t even close to Draymond, Hueter ain’t close to Klay, Hunter and Iggy sure, that can slide.
Hawks biggest issue is the defence and that’s not just on 1 player.
A player will always lose control of his own narrative when he makes public statements that he’s frustrated with his role on the team. There are only so many boxes that player’s critique of his own team and his place on it can be put in.
As long as TY is on the team, his offensive role will be defined game to game by TY, and his defensive role will always be one in which he’s overextended. He and Nate M can commiserate about it, but neither can do much about it.
JC is a star, that’s for sure… the problem in ATL is that McMillan just plain sucks as a HC… fire the dude & start winning again, as simple as!
Moaning about a role, or not knowing your role, is like a first step to someone leaving. But Collins just signed thru 2026. Not the right time for this. They are disfunctioning im ATL.