John Collins will be eligible for a rookie extension this offseason and his future with the Atlanta Hawks remains uncertain.

“When we’re talking max numbers and money, I feel like I definitely (am in) the conversation to have earned that money with the Hawks specifically, but obviously I know there’s business and we don’t always get exactly what we want,” Collins said. “But I want to be a Hawk, I want to stay with the Hawks."

Collins will be a restricted free agent in 2021 if he doesn't sign an extension.

“I feel like we’ve both invested ourselves in each other… I feel like we both want to see our investments in each other pay off. In that sense, I just want to know where I am. I want to know I’m locked in as soon as I can rather than having to wait, which I know happens, but when you do wait, a lot of other stuff mentally creeps in during the season while I’m tired, while I’m playing, ups and downs, injuries, but that’s also a part of just being a pro athlete.”

As a team, the Hawks struggled during the 19-20 season, but Collins believes they're close to breaking through.

“I want them to know we’re not as far away as you think,” Collins said. 

Wes Wilcox has interviewed for the Chicago Bulls' executive vice president of basketball operations job on Wednesday.

Wilcox previously worked for the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks parted ways with Wilcox after the 16-17 season.

Wilcox is currently an analyst with NBATV.

The Atlanta Hawks have reservations about signing John Collins to a significant long-term contract extension this offseason, according to sources around the league. Teams inquired about the availability of Collins at the deadline due to that perceived hesitation.

Collins' range likely starts at the four-year, $77 million extension signed by Domantas Sabonis with the Indiana Pacers before the start of the season.

Collins, for his part, believes he's proved his value. 

“I mean, I feel like I am a priority to the Hawks in terms of my value in the young core,” Collins said. “I feel like that’s no question. Priority in terms of — I don’t know. I definitely feel like I am a priority to them. For a lot of money? I just don’t know personally. I feel like it’s been a unique situation, but I feel like my play has garnered a bigger contract. This is when you want to start comparing, but it’s just a matter of if they’re going to reciprocate the respect back.

“I definitely feel like I am in max contract contention. If I finish this season averaging 20 and 10, the other guys who are averaging 20 and 10 are max-caliber guys. I’m in that conversation and feel like I am worthy of being extended as such. That’s for the Hawks to decide and figure it out. If you want to look at numbers and flat-out play, I definitely feel like I’ve earned it. But the team situation, future cap and all that, now you have a contract negotiation.”

The Hawks could wait until Collins becomes a restricted free agent in 2021.

“I wouldn’t take it personal, but my antennas would be up, for sure,” Collins said. “If I can leave it at that. My antennas would be up.”

Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin is proposing starting and ending the NBA season two months than they currently do in order to avoid football.

"Relevance equals revenue," Koonin said. "We've got to create the most relevance, and the revenue will fix itself.

Under Koonin's proposal, the start of the NBA season would shift from mid-October to mid-December, after college football has completed its regular season and has begun its bowl season.

The Finals would take place sometime in August rather than June with the draft and free agency to come after that.

"A big piece is you don't have to reinvent the wheel to enhance ratings," Koonin said. "Sometimes, moving away from competition is a great way to grow ratings.

"If King Kong is at your door, you might go out the back door, rather than go out the front and engage in a hand-to-hand fight with King Kong. Many times, at the start of the NBA season, we are competing with arguably the best Thursday Night Football game with the NBA on TNT, our marquee broadcast, and we get crushed and we wonder why.

"It's because at the beginning of the season, there's very little relevance for the NBA. The relevance is now. That's when people are talking about it."

NBA SVP of strategy and analytics Evan Wasch said the NBA is open to such an idea. 

The Dallas Mavericks have filed a protest to the NBA office over their 111-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

The protest focuses on John Collins' putback with 8.4 seconds, which lead to Mark Cuban criticizing the state of the league's officiating on Twitter following the game. 

The Mavs want the game to be replayed before the incorrect goaltending call. The game would then resume with a jump ball with 9.7 seconds left and the Hawks up by 2.

Adam Silver has five days after receiving evidence regarding the issue to decide whether the final sequence will be replayed. 

Clint Capela will miss at least two more weeks as he recovers from a heel injury. Capela hasn't played since Jan. 29 due to injury and was acquired by the Atlanta Hawks from the Houston Rockets ahead of the trade deadline.

The team says Capela started "participating in modified shooting while continuing non-impact conditioning and strength work as part of his rehabilitation."

Capela was averaging 13.9 points and 13.8 rebounds per game for the Rockets this season.

Brandon Goodwin and the Atlanta Hawks have agreed to a two-year NBA contract.

Goodwin was previously on a Two-Way contract with the Hawks.

Goodwin has averaged 6.9 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 13.6 minutes over 25 games with the Hawks. Goodwin spent the 18-19 season with the Denver Nuggets.

The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to trade Skal Labissiere and cash to the Atlanta Hawks.

The Blazers are attempting to lower their luxury tax payment.

The Los Angeles Clippers have agreed to trade Derrick Walton Jr. to the Atlanta Hawks for cash.

Walton went undrafated in 2017 out of Michigan and will be a restricted free agent this offseason.

Waltin has played in 23 games this season with the Clippers.

The Sacramento Kings have agreed to trade Dewayne Dedmon to the Atlanta Hawks for Jabari Parker and Alex Len.

The Hawks will also receive second round picks in 2020 and 2021 from the Kings.

Dedmon was previously with the Hawks but signed a three-year, $41 million deal with the Kings in the offseason.