NBA Trade Deadline: 5 things to expect and not expect this week

Don’t Expect: A John Collins deal

Atlanta has an infuriating front office. They spent around $150 million this offseason to get guys like Rajon Rondo, Kris Dunn, Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Danilo Gallinari. All really decent to good players, do not get me wrong. But they have an issue with paying John Collins what he is worth??

I mean he has been the Hawks second best player and I would say that the gap between him and Trae Young is smaller than him and whoever the third best player on the Hawks is. At least if you’re basing it on potential as well. So, why is it so hard for them to pay him?

It could be that him and Trae do not have an awesome relationship. Or maybe that they’re targeting someone else that will cost a bunch of money too. Letting him walk for nothing or trading him for nickels on the dollar is horrible asset management, however.

Thank god for Nate McMillan! The man just knows how to get the most of his roster. In one of my past articles after Lloyd Pierce was fired I said: ‘honestly guys, I think the Hawks are now more likely to have a legit playoff spot than they are to miss the play-in tournament’. And what has happened since? They’ve won eight of their last ten and sit at fifth in the Eastern Conference.

The Hawks are not giving up on this playoff run. Neither is Nate. And he values good players, crazy how that works, huh? Unless the Hawks are getting a better/on-par player in return, they’re not dealing him before the offseason.