The Hawks dealt John Collins to the Jazz Monday, according to a person familiar with the situation. In exchange, the team acquired Jazz forward Rudy Gay and a future second-round pick.
With the deal, the Hawks unload Collins’ hefty salary ($25.340 million for the 2023-24 season) and now moves below the luxury tax. Collins was the franchise’s longest tenured player, a first-round pick in 2017 who signed a five-year, $125 million extension in 2021.
But the 25-year-old has struggled to find his place as the team has evolved. After averaging 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds in a season that saw the Hawks reach the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2020-21 season, injuries and the changing plan hampered Collins’ productivity. He led team in scoring (19.5 points) and rebounding (9.8) during the 2018-19 season.
