Before he was an Atlanta Hawk, at the prestigious Wake Forest University, fans of the LA Clippers have dreamt of John Collins playing in red, blue, and silver. The Clippers would have considered him in the 2017 NBA Draft, but they did not have a pick, which allowed the Hawks to snag their next star.
Collins was a stud for the Demon Deacons, so it was unsurprising that he starred in the league and signed an extensive contract in Atlanta. In fact, his second contract was for five years, worth $125 million. This is when the Hawks viewed him as a building block next to Trae Young.
However, plans in the NBA are always subject to change, and Collins was traded to the Utah Jazz in 2023. He was now expected to score in many other ways, which the former first-round pick had always had the potential of doing.
On the Jazz, Collins has been dominant but hurt. He only played 40 games in 2024-25, during which time he posted 19.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.0 assists, shooting 52.7% from the field and 39.9% from beyond the arc.
Conversely, Utah's front office may prefer to trade its All-Star talent for a better contract and financial situation. Collins has a massive player option this summer, leading to reasonable rumors.
NBA expert reports the LA Clippers have a straight-line drive to securing John Collins from the Utah Jazz
Yossi Gozlan, an expert and analyst at the NBA level, recently reported how the LA Clippers could trade Bogdan Bogdanović and a minimal-salary player for John Collins. This transaction elevates the Clippers significantly, as their dream big man, who can also shoot, will have stepped foot in Inglewood, California.
The Clippers will owe Collins $26.5 million next season once his option is picked up. However, executive Lawrence Frank should extend the 2017 All-Rookie for at least two more years to solidify an excellent frontcourt.
The Utah Jazz accept this trade for two reasons: Collins' injury proneness and Bogdanović's appealing contract. The availability is understandable, but the Serbian sniper will earn $16 million next season and could enter free agency the following summer as his contract consists of a team option.
The smaller salary piece within the trade could be Drew Eubanks, whose term expires after next season. Given that only the first year of his contract was guaranteed, he must also be available.
That said, these reports could very well be accurate, as the math and rationale for the Clippers and Jazz add up.