2023 NBA offseason: Hawks send John Collins to Jazz, acquire Rudy Gay

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.

ExploreSugiura: As Hawks trade Collins, GM Landry Fields has room to reshape roster

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.

Long-mentioned as a possible trade candidate, Collins led team in scoring (19.5 points) and rebounding (9.8) during the 2018-19 season and followed with 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds a game in 2019-20. His production continued to dip over the next two seasons, including averages of 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds in 71 games last season, his lowest averages since his rookie season.

The trade creates options and flexibility for the franchise as it looks to compete in free agency. The Hawks already have three players on their roster, who are due for contract extensions, who fit the system coach Quin Snyder looks to build.

With the unloading of the remaining $78 million remaining over three years on Collins’ deal, the Hawks now also have the flexibility to negotiate deals with guard Dejounte Murray, as well as forward Saddiq Bey and center Onyeka Okongwu, who become free agents in 2024.

The team could choose to waive Gay but should it retain him, it would receive a veteran voice in the locker room that it missed last season. The Hawks had a $6.3 million traded player exception for former forward Justin Holiday, who they dealt to the Mavericks in February.

Both the Hawks and the Jazz cannot formalize this deal until July 6 after the new collective bargaining agreement begins. For now, the Hawks will keep their options open as they figure out how they move forward.

For now, Collins’ trade to the Jazz, creates a new tax exception, which allows the Hawks to take on salary up to $25.3 million.

The 36-year-old Gay played for Snyder in Utah during the 2021-22 season, averaging 8.1 points in 55 games. The No. 2 pick in the 2008 draft, Gay has averaged 15.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 17 NBA seasons.