NBA Rumors: Suns Could Land John Collins For Package Featuring Jae Crowder & Cameron Johnson
With a 6-2 record, the Phoenix Suns are riding high on top of the Western Conference, sharing the lead with the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers. But even with the team looking on track to at least end their long playoff drought, there still might be some room for improvement. With that in mind, Bleacher Report recently suggested a deal that would allow the Suns to make a major upgrade at power forward by trading for Atlanta Hawks star John Collins.
According to the publication, it might be best for Phoenix to keep its roster unchanged due to its early-season success. However, the power forward may be the “most obvious place to start” if the Suns choose to make some changes before the March 25 deadline, given that current starter Jae Crowder is solid, but “nothing special.” As such, the outlet recommended acquiring Collins and reserve wingman Tony Snell from the Hawks in exchange for Crowder, second-year backup Cameron Johnson, and a “lightly protected” future first-round draft pick.
As further speculated, there’s a possibility the Hawks are preparing to move on from Collins, who will be eligible for free agency this summer. Although he is still playing solidly, averaging 17.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists and shooting 54.5 percent from the field for Atlanta, per Basketball-Reference, he and the Hawks were not able to come to terms on a contract extension. Furthermore, the organization drafted another big man, former USC star Onyeka Okongwu at sixth overall in last year’s draft, potentially setting the stage for his emergence as Collins’ heir apparent at the “four” spot.
Should the hypothetical trade push forward, Bleacher Report predicted that Collins could contribute in multiple ways on the offensive end — either scoring on lobs from veteran point guard Chris Paul or using his outside shooting ability to space the floor for young stars Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton.
As shown on the Suns’ Basketball-Reference team page, Crowder has posted a well-rounded stat line thus far, averaging 11.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists and shooting 44.9 percent from the field and 39.6 percent from beyond the arc. Johnson is the club’s top scorer off the bench so far, with averages of 13.1 points and 2.8 rebounds in just 22.5 minutes per contest.
Apart from the above-mentioned scenario, there have been other proposed deals that could potentially help improve the Suns’ chances of contending for a championship in the 2020-21 season. These include a trade idea from three weeks ago that would allow Phoenix to acquire All-Star center Joel Embiid from the Philadelphia 76ers for a package centered on Ayton.
