It’s no secret that John Collins is once again on the trading block. As The Athletic’s Shams Charania first reported, Collins is available at the right price, even after the Atlanta Hawks signed him to a new contract.
With the Oklahoma City Thunder sitting at 11-13 this season, is it time for them to step up to the qualifying tournament? It appears at this point that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is too good for this team to be an inferior team in the lottery race.
Late last week, Bleacher Report even identified John Collins as a player the Thunder should target. Additionally, Fast Break’s Brett Siegel reported that Oklahoma City was among the teams that inquired about Collins ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft over the summer.
The explosive forward would solve a lot of problems for the Thunder, adding a physical forward that can bounce back and stretch the ground vertically. The Hawks have been pretty disappointing this season and might be tempted to revamp the roster sooner rather than later.
It all depends on what interests them. Should players help win now? Are these picks to use for a side job later this season? Either way, Oklahoma City could help on both fronts.
The Thunder have a block at the guard post, which means Lu Dort could be stretchable. Both players produce similar numbers offensively, while Dort is much better as a defender. He alongside Dejounte Murray would be a dominant perimeter duo to lock down opposing guards.
It would essentially be a position swap, but the reshuffle could be good for both teams. Dort can’t be traded any longer given he just signed a new contract, but these two teams could make it work when the time comes.
Collins is still young enough to fit into the Thunder timeline, especially if they feel like they’re on the verge of emerging, they’re a good team in a year or two.
Additional pieces would have to be added to the package for both sides to sweeten the pot, but a deal centered on Dort and Collins could certainly work.
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