As the February trade deadline approaches, the Detroit Pistons are being mentioned in just about every trade rumor out there.
They have been connected to myriad teams in Bojan Bogdanovic trade rumors, and fans are in wait-and-see mode when it comes to trading their best veteran asset.
With few sellers on the market, the Pistons may be able to coax an overpay out of a desperate contender, but it’s also possible that they could be buyers if the right deal emerges.
One player who has seemingly been in trade rumors forever is John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks, who has watched his stats plummet this season on an underperforming team.
Collins has been mentioned as a possibility for the Detroit Pistons, who definitely need more talent and defense on the wing. At his best, Collins was one of the better two-way forwards in the league, averaging over 21 points and 10 rebounds per game on 40 percent shooting from 3-point range.
But his numbers have gone down every season since, which some blame on fit, while others think it is because of the toxic environment in Atlanta, where his name is constantly being mentioned in trade rumors.
It’s not easy to stay focused when your name is always in the news as possible trade bait, and Collins’ numbers have dipped to 13 points and eight rebounds per game this season with awful shooting splits.
But the forward is still just 25-years-old, so there is a chance that he can regain his old form in the right situation.
According to the Athletic, the Hawks are getting more desperate to get off his contract, which extends through the 2025-26 season, and may be willing to lower their asking price.
Is this the year John Collins gets traded?
— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) January 13, 2023
In some scenarios, the Hawks are merely asking for a quality player in return (and not a first-round pick), sources tell @sam_amick.https://t.co/L7mt7V1DWw pic.twitter.com/teBadu0JHK
If the Hawks are “merely” asking for a quality player, the Detroit Pistons could be back in the mix, though it obviously depends on which player they would want.
Detroit Pistons: A trade for John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks
If the Pistons could land Collins without giving up much, he might be worth the gamble, as he has big-time talent and may just need a change of scenery.
If he was back to that guy scoring 20 a game on good shooting splits, he’d be a steal at the right price, and his contract is actually not that bad, as the salary cap is going up soon and $25 million will suddenly be minimum wage for a starter.
The Hawks reportedly want a big who can shoot, so Isaiah Stewart is the obvious choice, but given his improvements this season, I am not sure he’d be the one I’d want to see traded. The Pistons need to improve their defense, so getting rid of one of their best defenders for Collins would be a lateral move at best.
But here is a deal that theoretically works for both teams:
In this trade, the Pistons give up the defense-challenged Saddiq Bey along with two veteran expiring contracts in exchange for John Collins.
But would this deal really move the needle for either team?
Detroit Pistons: A trade for John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks
This is one way for the Hawks to get off Collins’ contract, as Bey is still on his rookie deal and both the veterans are on expiring deals (Noel has a team option).
This would give the Hawks more depth and clear some cap space in the offseason for them to pursue another player. Bey is currently a better 3-point shooter than Collins (barely) and could be a better fit. Noel and Joseph are no world beaters, but they are reliable veterans who can fill in and play a role on a good team.
Collins may not be a huge upgrade over Bey on paper, but he is much-better fit with the Detroit Pistons, as he is a better defender and rebounder.
Collins is averaging 1.4 blocks and grabbing over eight rebounds per game, far better than Bey, who is one of the worst defending forwards in the league.
This move would allow the Pistons to keep Bojan Bogdanovic, and they could actually have both he and Collins on the floor at the same time, which is difficult with Bey given he and Bojan’s defensive limitations.
Detroit would still have the cap space to fill out their bench with quality role players, and Collins could have a renaissance in a new situation where he wasn’t constantly being mentioned as trade bait.
It’s certainly an interesting idea, as the 2023 free agent class is not deep with talent that fits Detroit’s most pressing need for a defensive upgrade at forward. It would also give two high-ceiling young players a chance for a fresh start with a new team that might be a better fit.