2017 NBA Draft: Five best fits for Gonzaga big man Zach Collins
By Doug Winkey
2. Atlanta Hawks
You might see this and exclaim, “But, the Hawks still have Dwight Howard!” Not anymore they don’t. Moving Howard creates a huge gap in the middle to fill. Atlanta still has Kris Humpries or Paul Millsap as traditional big men, but moving some assets around to try and acquire Collins might be what GM Travis Schlenk would prefer.
Collins would be a very good piece next to starting forwards Paul Millsap and Kent Bazemore. The Hawks have a strong outside duo of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Dennis Schroder that offer lots of energy and floor vision, perfect for a big man that played in one of college basketball’s most efficient offenses. Collins’ defense would also go a long way towards replacing Howards 12.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Atlanta is 19th on the current draft board, but might make a move up into the lottery for a new center.
If the Hawks would be able to swoop in and snag Collins, he would be happy to see the amount of playing time he could get right away in Atlanta. Without Howard, he would fill a major need and for a team possibly looking at starting a major rebuild, Collins would be a piece that they can use for the next several years.