Miami Heat Roundtable: Time to take John Collins rumors serious or not?
Miami Heat Roundtable: Time To Take John Collins Rumors Serious – Will’s Take
The Miami Heat need a trade to shake things up, hopefully helping to provide a different look for teams come playoff time. So, for the millionth time, is John Collins worth picking up the phone for?
Will’s Take (@crackseason)
The answer is yes.
This isn’t a resounding yes—one where Miami should do everything in their power to get him. If the price is right though, you do it.
However, he is not first in line. Miami should be looking at the Detroit Piston’s Bojan Bogdanović, if you had to pick just one name.
Next in line should, perhaps, be one of the Clippers’ three and D forwards, any of which would fit in beautifully with Miami’s system. Third though and finally, you get to Atlanta with Collins.
The question is what does Atlanta want? Is he really worth trading a key piece and a first-round pick?
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Collins, this year, is averaging 13 points and eight rebounds. This could be chalked up to being a bad fit in Atlanta or maybe, the stats are indicative of who he is as a player.
By many, he’s considered to be a ball-stopper, meaning he needs it in his hands to be productive. How would that fit alongside Bam Adebayo though, who is now comfortable with being ball dominant?
Paying Collins $25 million per year is certainly rough to look at and if the production doesn’t match the money, the Heat would need to move on. Offensively, he’d need to be prepared to take on less of an offensive role and more of a defensive one, which, this season, has honestly been a bright spot for him.
His defense has certainly been better this season than in past years. He still has plays where he’s ball-watching but as far as on-ball defense, he’s certainly improved and could be what’s keeping Miami interested.
The big question is whether or not Collins, at the age of 25, is ready to take on a lesser role in order to help compete for a championship. Is he mature and willing enough to do it, as that has yet to be seen?
Truthfully, he needs a fresh start and maybe you’d see a different player in Miami. And they should pick up the phone if Atlanta calls, but should also be prepared to say “no” if that price isn’t right.