The Brooklyn Nets have reportedly sounded out a rival star.
Plus the Lakers have made a key roster move that could open the door for a potential trade.
Catch up on all of the latest whispers in our NBA Rumour Mill!
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Despite a hot start to the season, Collins has averaged 12.3 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 31.5 minutes from 22 games for the 12-10 Hawks.
His scouring output is the lowest since his rookie season, when he averaged 24.1 minutes per contest, as the Hawks run their offence through Trae Young and Dejounte Murray.
LAKERS WAIVE RYAN TO OPEN ROSTER SPOT FOR POTENTIAL TRADE
The Los Angeles Lakers have waived small forward Matt Ryan, the team announced on Friday (all times AEDT), in a move that could open the door for a trade.
Ryan, who hit a buzzer-beating fadeaway triple against New Orleans earlier this month to send the game into overtime, made 12 appearances for the Lakers this season, averaging 3.9 points o 37 per cent three-point shooting and 1.2 rebounds in 10.8 minutes per contest.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania first reported the Lakers were set part ways with Ryan in a move that opens up a roster spot for a potential trade from December 15.
LA, who’s gone 5-1 over its last six games, has been weighing up trades for guards including Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley and Kendrick Nunn, with players signed in the off-season trade eligible from after December 15.
Originally setting a 20-game deadline before they’d make a trade, NBA journalist Dave McMenamin revealed the 8-12 Lakers’ current plans on the Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective podcast.
Lebron calls out media over Jerry Jones | 01:26
“What they feel is realistic is playing .500 ball until December 15 when deals start to potentially open around the league because that’s when contracts that were signed this past summer can be traded,” he said.
“And then maybe you can finally make this mythical draft-pick trade that’s been talked about for months and months and months sometime in late December to mid-January and have that be an additional thrust to the type of basketball you’ve already been doing, you’ve already established.”
A trade of Westbrook and pick/s to the Indiana Pacers for Myles Turner and Buddy Hield has reportedly been discussed, while the Athletic Jovan Buha reports the Lakers could consider dealing Beverley, who they added in the off-season.
“One name to watch is Patrick Beverley, who’s the fourth-highest-paid player on the team at $13 million,” Buha wrote.
“Beverley is a still an elite defender and one of the group’s vocal leaders, but he’s averaging a career-low 4.1 points per game and shooting a career-worst 23.8 per cent on 3s. Beverley, like Kendrick Nunn, could still have value on teams looking for veteran back-court help. The Lakers’ needs and glut of guards make both expendable.”
