Key details from Hawks’ John Collins trading plans

The Atlanta Hawks front office is going to look very different. Travis Schlenk, who served as the general manager and president of Basketball Operations for the past six NBA seasons, is moving into a senior advisory role with the team. Landry Fields, who is the current general manager, will now oversee basketball operations.

This is a shocking move considering Schlenk has been responsible for changing the Hawks for the past few seasons. He’s done a good job improving the talent on the roster and making Atlanta a respectable team on the field again, culminating in the team’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021.

As shared by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Schlenk has several years left on his contract, so he will work with owner Tony Ressler. Fields will take on more responsibility and his first assignment will be to trade John Collins.

Collins has seemingly been in the trade bloc for years as the Hawks have been discussing him in trade since 2020, when the two sides failed to agree on a rookie extension. He became a restricted free agent and the Hawks signed him to a monster five-year, $125 million contract.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: John Collins & Atlanta Hawks Updates

Now in year 2 of that deal, Atlanta is trying to get out of it. Collins has seen his usage drop again this season, along with his 3-point shooting efficiency. He makes a career low of 21.3 percent of his attempts as he struggles to get into a rhythm as the fourth and sometimes fifth option.

Despite his shortcomings, Collins is only 25 years old. He has shown tremendous potential, averaging 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game during the 2019-2020 season.

LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: John Collins & Atlanta Hawks Updates

A change of scenery would do him good, as a more consistent role in attack should also lead to better efficiency. It has evolved into a situation where it feels like that change is too late for both parties involved.