Spurs Rumors: Hawks Shopping Collins, Want Derrick White

The NBA trade deadline is just two weeks away, and the San Antonio Spurs continue to be involved in numerous rumors.

The latest rumblings surrounding the Silver and Black have to do with Derrick White, the Spurs' two-way talent who's having a down year shooting the ball. This is the first season in which White has been given a focal point of the team's offense, and the results have been mixed.

After shooting a career-low 41.1% from the field last season, White is hovering around the same mark at 41.9% this year. His threes have been almost non-existent all season long, as he's dipped below 30% (29.6) for the first time in his career through 44 games. Most discomforting, he's gone from shooting 39.8% on open threes last season to just 23.9%.

On the other side of the ball, White has been as effective as ever. He's third in the league in charges drawn, and he often takes them in the guts of the game. His ability to guard one on one and contest vertically is second-to-none, and he often makes winning plays as a result.

The Hawks are in the market for White

It makes sense, then, that a defensively-challenged team like the Atlanta Hawks are in pursuit of the 27-year-old. "Atlanta placed a call to San Antonio about Derrick White," said Jake Fischer in his Bleacher Report column on Thursday morning. While no further details were given, this isn't the first time Atlanta has been rumored to show interest in White.

Within the same article, Fischer also says the Hawks were seeking a valuable first-round pick and a starting-caliber player in exchange for John Collins. The Spurs have rightfully interested in Collins for some time now, as he fills their biggest hole at the power forward position.

While a straight swap wouldn't work financially, something like White, Thaddeus Young, and the 2022 first-round pick for John Collins, Delon Wright, and a first-round pick from Atlanta would. Of course, that would mean the Spurs give up what's likely to be their highest NBA draft pick since they selected Tim Duncan.

It would be a risky move for San Antonio, who could pick up another vital piece in another talented draft class, and I'm not sure that would be wise. Collins would certainly help their rebounding woes and give them another offensive option, but is his 6-9 stature enough to make him a long-term option on an already undersized roster?

In any event, there's mutual interest between the teams in each other's roster, so it could be an interesting trade deadline as both teams struggle to compete this season.