Reportedly active Boston Celtics linked to Hawks’ John Collins ahead of 2022 free agency

The Kings and Bulls are also reported to be interested in Collins.

The Boston Celtics are reportedly ” more active than you’d think for a team that just reached the Finals in terms of trade talks” according to The Action Network’s Matt Moore, but don’t get your hopes up for fireworks. Moore relates that Boston is “not looking to disrupt the core that just brought them within two wins of a championship,” and instead “periphery bench players … have been offered in deals for picks.”

What direction that might see the team turn as free agency kicks off is unknown, but the intention to make upgrades around the margins could manifest along a number of lines from the use of any of Boston’s several traded player exceptions (which could be greased by the assets Moore references) to outright signings with the team’s mini-mid-level exception (up to $6.4 million) or minimum deals.

Another clue about what might be on the Celtics’ agenda is Moore’s reporting that Boston is, along with the Sacramento Kings and Chicago Bulls, among the three clubs pursuing Atlanta’s John Collins.

Collins would make a lot of sense for the Celtics as a target for the right price but depends on what Atlanta has planned and what Boston is willing to offer.

Should Atlanta find Collins a key part of their future either as a trade asset to improve the team elsewhere or as a part of their rotation, he may be priced out of what the Celtics could offer in return.

Follow us on Facebook and check out the Celtics Lab podcast here.

[mm-video type=video id=01g6kjc8rejawap8ebp3 playlist_id=01eqbzegwgnrje4tv2 player_id=01eqbvq570kgj8vfs7 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g6kjc8rejawap8ebp3/01g6kjc8rejawap8ebp3-4b6cf8caebfc3291c8d4bf4a1c011004.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=104969,104990,104967,104952]

[listicle id=104956]

[listicle id=104937]

[listicle id=104882]