Jazz F John Collins' Trade Value has Evaporated, per Insider

The Utah Jazz may be stuck with the enormous contract of John Collins.

Mar 29, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) knocks the ball away from Utah Jazz forward John Collins (20) during the first quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports / Chris Nicoll-USA TODAY Sports

The rumors circulating around the Utah Jazz have been hot and heavy this summer. Most of the talk has been about All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen, who will likely be starting the season in Salt Lake City. There have also been some rumblings about what Utah will do with starting forward John Collins. 

Collins is in his second year with the Jazz, and his production in season one was respectable. The former Atlanta Hawks first-round pick averaged 15.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game while knocking down 37.1% of his shots from long distance. However, despite putting up decent numbers, the trade market for a player that's guaranteed 53 million over the next two years apparently has run dry if you believe Jazz beat writer Tony Jones of The Athletic. Jones shared his thoughts on the subject when he joined The Drive Guys with Kevin Gleason and Kyle Draper on Sactown Sports 1140.

"You can have John Collins for almost nothing if you have the money." - Tony Jones

Tony Jones, beat reporter for the Utah Jazz, joined The Drive Guys to discuss the availability of Lauri Makkannen and John Collins.https://t.co/z1sbG5mZNP

— Sactown Sports 1140 (@Sactown1140) June 13, 2024

This is the risk that the Jazz took on when they traded for Collins in a salary dump move by the Hawks last offseason. Utah may be stuck with that contract for at least one year. Collins has a player option for the 2025-26 season, which he will likely take advantage of. His contract will be more appealing next summer for teams looking to clear cap space for the 2026-27 season, but until then, it looks like Utah will be stuck with the bill.

This doesn't mean that Collins provides no value on the court. He has a skill set that's needed in the NBA, especially with his ability to spread the court because he's an elite catch-and-shoot three-point shooter. His problems stem from struggling to create his own offense and doesn't offer much on the defensive side of the court. But keep in mind that he's only 26 years old and may have room to grow. Despite the somewhat grim outlook on the Collins front, the Jazz may have an answer at the power forward position waiting in the wings.

Taylor Hendricks will be entering his second year as a Jazzman and could be the upgrade from Collins that Utah needs. Hendricks is already a better defender and has shown the ability to knock down shots from long distance, too. In his rookie year, Hendricks often had to guard the opponent's best player, and the early results were encouraging.

If there's one thing Utah needs heading into next year, it is a defensive juggernaut that can make life harder for the opposition best offensive player. If Hendricks can be consistent in that area, then expect him to be a permanent fixture in the starting lineup sooner rather than later.

That said, there's plenty of basketball to play before Hendricks is anointed the starter, but one thing that is becoming clear is that Utah is going to be stuck with Collins' contract for the foreseeable future.

Follow Inside The Jazz on Facebook and X.


Subscribe to YouTube for breaking Jazz news videos and live streams!