NBA Rumors: Hawks Set Asking Price For John Collins

John Collins has come up in the rumor mill often lately. According to Jake Fischer, the Atlanta Hawks reportedly are seeking a "valuable" first-round pick and a starter.

When looking at how Collins is playing currently, one could argue that the Hawks could honestly net even more for him. In 42 games this season, he is averaging 16.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.0 assists. Those are all-around solid numbers, so he'd be a very good addition to another team. He is also still just 24 years old, so we may not have even seen the best of him yet.

After a very solid season last year, the Hawks have taken a massive step back during this campaign. At this juncture of the season, they have a 22-25 record and are twelfth in the Eastern Conference. Yet, they aren't out of the playoff picture, as they are only two games behind the eighth-place Boston Celtics. However, they may benefit from making some changes to their core, so perhaps moving Collins could benefit them.

It will be interesting to see if the Hawks end up moving him by the deadline. For this to happen, an opposing team will have to pay Atlanta's set price.