As the 2025 NBA Finals draw to a close, offseason activity has reached an all-time high with rumors and speculation running rampant. According to the latest intel from Los Angeles, the Lakers have already been involved in trade talks for a certain young big man from Utah: John Collins.
"The Lakers and John Collins is a conversation that's been had," said Andy Blarsen on the 'Locked on Jazz' podcast. "He had a good enough season, a productive enough season, last year that there should be interest somewhere for him, but I don't expect the Jazz to get value back in those deals."
The Lakers are looking for reinforcements in the frontcourt after giving up Anthony Davis at the deadline and rescinding the subsequent trade for Mark Williams. Forced to start Jaxson Hayes at center, the Lakers' big man depth was a major area of concern in the 2024-25 season, and many believe it held them back from greater success in the playoffs.
Going into the summer, expanding and upgrading the frontcourt has become the top priority for the Lakers, and they have already been testing the market on several key big men. At 27 years old, John Collins is just hitting the prime of his career, and while he's no star, he's still someone who can make a massive impact in the right situation.
In 40 games for the Jazz this season, he averaged 19.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game on 52.7% shooting. As an elite athlete and a 225-pound big man, he's exceptional at playing above the rim and finishing over opponents for easy buckets.
Sadly, Collins is not great on the defensive end, but his size, mobility, and freakish athleticism make him an easy upgrade over the Lakers' current frontcourt rotation. His youth and skillset would make him a great fit next to Luka Doncic, who thrived alongside bigs like Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and PJ Washington.
It's impossible to know what a potential package might look like for Collins, but the Lakers would have to at least give up Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton just to make the money work. That's not to mention a collection of draft picks, which will likely take at least two or three second-rounders to entice the Jazz.
Of course, the Lakers could also take the trade to another level by trying to negotiate for young center Walker Kessler in the deal. Collins and Kessler would be great additions to the Lakers' rotation, but they may not have enough assets to get both.
At this point, the Jazz are in no rush to break up their young core, and they will only part with their players for a deal that makes sense. If it's not a collection of picks, then it must include at least two young players with borderline All-Star potential.
For the Lakers, while John Collins may not be their first choice, he'd still be a solid acquisition for them and would no doubt thrive alongside the elite playmaking skills of Luka Doncic and LeBron James. They would likely need more than just Collins to compete for a title next year, but it would sure be a great place to start after this season's disappointing playoff run.
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