John Collins just helped lead the Atlanta Hawks to the Eastern Conference Finals. If the Miami Heat can lure him away, he would be the perfect player to add to their core.
With how important he was during their playoff run, the Hawks will likely try to do everything possible to bring John Collins back. However, they are in some murky water from a financial standpoint.
Tony Ressler, the owner of the Hawks, recently said that it’s a “pretty good assumption” they won’t “keep every single player that we want to keep.” If Collins gets a big-time offer this summer, the Hawks might not be willing to match it.
Last season, Collins averaged 17.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. He shot 55.6% from the field and 39.9% from three-point range.
Collins reportedly turned down a $90 million contract at the start of last year. His reasoning was that he deserves a max contract.
While he may not receive that amount of money, a huge deal could be coming his way after the playoffs he had. The Miami Heat should certainly be in the sweepstakes to sign him.
If they were to offer him a max contract, it would begin at around $28 million. That may seem like a lot, but with his ability to stretch the floor next to Bam Adebayo it could be worth it.
Even if the Miami Heat offer him something around $25 million it could be enough to combat the Hawks from matching. Keep an eye on Collins this offseason.