The Atlanta Hawks have extended a qualifying offer to John Collins, making the four-year NBA veteran a restricted free agent, sources told The Athletic's Shams Charania.
The Hawks will now have the right to match any offer sheet Collins signs with another team, and it's expected the frontcourt standout will have plenty of suitors.
Collins signed a four-year, $11-million contract with Atlanta out of Wake Forest after being selected with the 19th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
The 23-year-old was destined to hit the free agency market after he and the Hawks front office failed to negotiate a contract extension before the 2020-21 season.
Collins averaged 17.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, and one block in his fourth season with the club and played an instrumental role in Atlanta's surprise run to the Eastern Conference semifinals. Those numbers dipped from the previous season, where Collins established himself as one of the league's best young big men thanks in part to 58-40-80 shooting.
Free agents are eligible to begin contract discussions with teams on Aug. 2.
