In a deal that delivers the franchise some dramatic financial flexibility, the Atlanta Hawks are trading forward John Collins to the Utah Jazz, sources told ESPN on Monday.
The Hawks are acquiring forward Rudy Gay and a future second-round pick for Collins, who is owed $78 million over the next three seasons, sources said. The trade creates a $25.3 million trade exception for the Hawks -- the largest in the NBA. Atlanta has a year to potentially use the exception to take on a player's contract.
The trade cannot become official until July 6.