CHA/UTA - Utah trades up and dumps Collins

[HornetJail]

Charlotte trades #6, expiring fillers (Richards, Martin, Bertans $5.25M Guarantee)
Utah trades #10, #32, worst of Utah's 2025 1sts (UTA/CLE/MIN), John Collins

Utah clears off $7M immediately and all $26.6M in 2025-26, while moving up in the draft and gaining some roster spots that will become more scarce as their picks start to convey.
Charlotte moves back for assets, and gets a big who plays the 4 but is somewhat capable of masquerading as a center if Mark Williams' back continues to give him problems. Collins isn't perfect, but he's more than playable for a team that just needs production wherever they can get it, and has a pair of very good passers at PG that can set him up whether he is playing with starters or the bench.

I expect Utah will see some turnover this summer, so won't put a resulting depth chart for them but Charlotte's would look like:
Ball/Micic
Miller/Mann/NSJ
Bridges/[Miller]/___
Collins/GWill
Mark/[Collins]/____

[meat tray]

Easy no for Utah. Jazz don't need to dump Collins and certainly aren't going to use a first round pick in a strong draft to do so. Difference between 6 and 10 this year is minimal.

[Gert42]

As a Jazz fan I am pretty sure I would agree to this deal, mainly because I would like to be out of the John Collins business.

[jayjaysee]

This seems good for Utah.

The worst 2025 first. That is good value just to get up to 6th. 30ish million dollars for the 32nd pick?

Charlotte trading back to add a guy who doesn’t impact wins, feels like a bad idea as a fan of no one involved.

Charlotte can try and start winning if they believe in Ball/Miller/Williams (I do) but this isn’t a win now move..

[PurpleGreenGold]

Also a Jazz fan, and I would absolutely agree to this deal. Sure they lose a pick in 2025 (probably Minnesota's), but they'll still have 2 more 1st's (Utah and Cleveland) so no big deal. Those go with the 3 1st's we had last year, and the 2 1st's we have upcoming. Not enough room for so many young guys.

[Catchall]

As a Jazz fan, I would entertain trading up to #6 to make sure I get Williams or possibly Castle or Sheppard. Another iteration might include #10, #29 and Clarkson from the Jazz.

[babyjax13]

I'd also do it and be willing to swap 32 for 29.

[JustBuzzin]

I actually like this deal for Charlotte.

What's with the Collins slander tho?

I mean he's no impact player, but he's a decent rebounder who can also shoot the 3ball and be a floor spacer. Charlotte needs another big body up front and he can also play small ball center.

Not a bad deal for Bertans and trading back a couple of spots in a weak draft.

[babyjax13]

I actually like this deal for Charlotte.

What's with the Collins slander tho?

I mean he's no impact player, but he's a decent rebounder who can also shoot the 3ball and be a floor spacer. Charlotte needs another big body up front and he can also play small ball center.

Not a bad deal for Bertans and trading back a couple of spots in a weak draft.

Collins is really meh and paid a lot. But he does fill a niche some teams need and does it relatively competently.

[Diop]

Charlotte coaching and front office have plenty of knowledge of Collins, so if they are comfortable to trade for him, then I say do it.

[JustBuzzin]

I actually like this deal for Charlotte.

What's with the Collins slander tho?

I mean he's no impact player, but he's a decent rebounder who can also shoot the 3ball and be a floor spacer. Charlotte needs another big body up front and he can also play small ball center.

Not a bad deal for Bertans and trading back a couple of spots in a weak draft.

Collins is really meh and paid a lot. But he does fill a niche some teams need and does it relatively competently.

Yeah we are not expecting him to be a missing piece or anything. We simply lack size and he's a 6'10 long body who can rebound and spread the floor. Not a bad fit for our roster.

His contract can also be a huge trade piece for future trades with all the picks we are stocking up.

[Xman]

I think it would depend on who cha is targeting. If they do not want a certain guy at six, then why not.
But, if they like one guy more then they should just take him.

[DrModesty]

I think Charlotte should be able to get a bit more value out of this. Possibly the second best of the 2025 picks but with top 4 protections. Minn and the Cavs should both be firmly in the playoffs next year. Maybe you have to drop #32, maybe not.

[GoBobs]

I would say no for Charlotte. Not interested in trading down from 6 to 10 for anything less than a mid first. I don't like Collins and would rather have cap space than him on the roster. Getting a late first doesn't move the needle for me at all. Our G-league team is already full of late first/early 2nd guys.

[Diop]

i havent watched much Collins and get that he isn't a great winning player, but is he crap?

how many crap players have averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds in a season?

[tbhawksfan1]

i havent watched much Collins and get that he isn't a great winning player, but is he crap?

how many crap players have averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds in a season?

That was 5 years ago and he hasn't had another 20pt or 10reb season since

There are reasons that the Hawks salary dumped him and now Utah would like to do the same

[Skybox]

i havent watched much Collins and get that he isn't a great winning player, but is he crap?

how many crap players have averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds in a season?

Collins has been the league’s whipping boy since the big contract…not arguing against it, but his best moments were finishing Trae’s lobs and spreading the floor. I could see that fitting really well with CHA’s two keepers (Lamelo & Miller). Collins is only 26!

However, a team in CHA’s position should (almost) never consider trading back from a high pick. I’d UTA really wants to jettison Collins, then take expiring Bertans and some srps. CHA should come out of this draft with a strong young piece (Castle, Clingan, Cody Williams?) that fits and they’d have something cooking. Nobody’s’chasing’ Collins - but he could be a fit with Lamelo…could they keep Bridges too? Could Miller or Bridges be a big 2? Collins could, at least, replace what Bridges does…if he’s out.

LaMelo, Mann
Castle, N. Smith
Miller
Collins, G. Williams
M. Williams

(Interesting-at least)

[mg]

Depends on who CHA is targeting in the draft. If it is someone like Carter who should be there at 10 then it's probably worth it to secure an additional FRP in a much better draft. Teams seem eager to get off '24 picks but doubt we'll see many teams trading '25 picks. Collins I assume would be insurance in case Bridges leaves. I could also see Collins catching lobs from LaMelo similar to his early seasons next to Trae.

I have no clue what the Jazz are thinking. They publicly say they could potentially trade out of this draft but if nothing materializes maybe they go the other direction and trade up?

[Mr Loggins]

Easy no for Utah. Jazz don't need to dump Collins and certainly aren't going to use a first round pick in a strong draft to do so. Difference between 6 and 10 this year is minimal.

While i agree Utah shouldn’t make the trade, its because this is a historically weak draft and the player they get at 10 is probably going to be as good as #6.

collins himself, imo, has little value

[mg]

Easy no for Utah. Jazz don't need to dump Collins and certainly aren't going to use a first round pick in a strong draft to do so. Difference between 6 and 10 this year is minimal.

While i agree Utah shouldn’t make the trade, its because this is a historically weak draft and the player they get at 10 is probably going to be as good as #6.

collins himself, imo, has little value

Collins would be more of a keeper if he were the one who made $17 mil last season and Lauri made his $25 mil. Actually the salaries of Lauri+Kessler+Hendricks were equivalent to Collins' salary this past season. Collins is also blocking both Kessler and Hendricks.

OTOH Collins 2/$52 mil remaining salary should be swallowable for some team that needs an athletic Pick n roll finisher who can also make 3's. I agree he's overpaid on his current deal but it's not the worst contract in the league type territory either. He's just kind of a "meh" asset that is probably worth equivalent salary in a trade but doubt the Jazz would give up any type of asset to move him. I think Ainge acquired him with the idea of rehabbing his value, which has occurred in some part, but he's just not worth north of $25 mil for his skillset.