NBA Rumors: Rockets Could Trade Victor Oladipo, Danuel House Jr. & 1st-Rounder For John Collins
Atlanta Hawks center John Collins is one of the young players who is frequently mentioned in various trade speculations. He may have already fixed the issue between him and Trae Young, but with his failure to reach an agreement regarding a contract extension with the Hawks, most people are expecting him to be moved before the 2021 trade deadline. One of the teams who could express a strong interest in acquiring Collins this season is the Houston Rockets.
In a recent article, Lachard Binkley of Fansided’s Space City Scoop suggested a blockbuster trade idea between the Rockets and the Hawks that would send Collins to Houston. In the proposed scenario, the Rockets would be acquiring Collins, Tony Snell, and Kris Dunn from the Hawks by sending them a package that includes Victor Oladipo, Danuel House Jr., and a protected first-round pick.
The suggested trade would make a lot of sense for the Rockets, especially if they finally decide to undergo a rebuilding process. At 23, Collins perfectly fits the timeline of Christian Wood. Like Wood, he’s also a defensive specialist and possesses the skill set a big man needs to excel in the modern NBA. If they grow together and build good chemistry, they could form one of the best frontcourt duos in the league and become the centerpieces of the next title-contending team the Rockets would try to build in Space City.
“Collins isn’t just a defensive stalwart, he is shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range and has the ability to score in the post. With his 3-point range, it would open the floor for Wood and the other Rockets. However, with the Hawks, Collins’ scoring has gone down because Clint Capela has clogged the paint due to his inability to score from outside. With the Rockets, that would not be an issue because Wood is almost as good from 3-point range as Collins’ is. John Collins would be a perfect long term building block for the Rockets to pair with Christian Wood.”
The proposed scenario would also greatly benefit the Hawks. As of now, the only thing holding the Hawks back from trading Collins is the fear that it could negatively impact their chances of ending their playoff drought this year. Bringing Oladipo to Atlanta could alleviate that concern.
Oladipo may have spent the past two years recovering from various injuries but this season, he’s in much better shape and slowly regaining his All-Star form. When he’s 100 percent healthy, he’s no doubt an upgrade over Kevin Huerter at the Hawks’ starting shooting guard position. Pairing him with Young could ease the load on his shoulders in terms of scoring, playmaking, and defending the perimeter.
Aside from Oladipo, the Hawks would also be receiving a three-and-D wingman in House Jr. and a future first-round selection, which they could use to add another talented prospect to their roster.
