Mavericks: Early free agent targets to watch during rest of regular season

Dallas Mavericks free agent target to watch the rest of the season: 3. John Collins

Fans will have to wait to watch Collins. The Hawks big man injured his ankle and is set to miss at least one week. The 23-year-old will be a restricted free agent this offseason, and multiple teams are expected to go after his services.

Atlanta is likely to match any offer. They spent significantly to upgrade their roster last offseason, and the Hawks are set to make the playoffs for the first time since 2017. The only reason to let their starting power forward walk would be avoiding the luxury tax. Can they afford massive extensions for Collins and Trae Young on top of the money they spent last summer?

Can the Mavericks win the bidding war on the 6’9 big man? Only three teams are projected to have more cap space this summer. Collins would give Dallas another rim protector that is capable of averaging 20 points and ten rebounds a night.

Can they find a way to play him next to Kristaps Porzingis in a playoff series? There could be questions there, but the Mavericks would have two elite scoring big men to complement Luka Doncic. Expect Dallas to be interested in his services this summer. Fans should keep an eye on Collins when he returns to the Hawks lineup.

Next: No. 2