Peachtree Hoops: Report: John Collins, Hawks agree to five-year contract

[Hawksquawk]

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The standout forward agrees to return to Atlanta.

The Atlanta Hawks and forward John Collins have reportedly agreed to a 5-year, $125 million contract extension, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Collins will reportedly have a player option after the fourth year of the deal.

Restricted free agent F John Collins has agreed to a five-year, $125M deal to stay with the Atlanta Hawks, @excelbasketball agents Sean Kennedy and Jeff Schwartz tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 4, 2021

Collins’ future was long up in the air following the inability for he and the Hawks to come to terms with a new deal last offseason when he first became extension eligible, as he reportedly turned down a 4-year, $90 million deal ahead of the 2020-21 season. Collins is now locked in through 2024-25 with the new pact, securing the long awaited and well deserved pay day.

Collins averages 16.6 points and 8.4 rebounds per game through four seasons with Atlanta, and posted 17.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per for the Hawks last season. He has been a model of consistency over the past three seasons, and was a valuable two-way asset for Atlanta on their way to the Eastern Conference Finals in the first postseason experience of his four-year career.

The Hawks appear to be close to rounding their 2021-22 roster into shape after retaining Collins, as the addition of Gorgui Dieng and re-signing of Solomon Hill leave them with 13 players under contract. The impending restricted free agency of Skylar Mays could take them to 14, though he and Sharife Cooper could both sign Two Way contracts. If Cooper and Mays are indeed both Two Way contracts, the Hawks would still have two open roster spots to fill ahead of the regular season.

Stay tuned.

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