Utah Jazz: Three win-now trades with newfound draft capital

A Trade with Atlanta Puts Utah on Highlight Reels

Donovan Mitchell is one of the flashiest players in the league, so pairing him with an athletic forward who can get above the rim would put Utah on ESPN every night. Take note. John Collins is an athletic power forward who can step out and hit the three. He’s good for 15-20 points every night, and Atlanta wants him gone.

The Hawks gave up several picks in the Dejounte Murray deal, so they would probably love to get some picks back and build around their superstar backcourt. I’ll be honest: Collins is a better player than Poeltl, so Utah would have to give up more.

For the pick, they got from Brooklyn (the latest pick between HOU, BRK, and PHI), a distant first, and Bogdanovic again, the Jazz could acquire this fringe-All Star. After giving up Danilo Gallinari, Atlanta would surely love a one-year rental of Bogdanovic. In addition, they get two picks that they could flip for one in an upcoming draft to get the player to pair with Murray and Young.

The real upside for Utah is they not only have a solid defender to pair with Mitchell but an athletic, tall, floor spacer. With Collins on the floor, Mitchell and Clarkson can play isolation ball more effectively than they used to be able to, and they add an additional shooter. Collins has shown he can shoot 40% from deep, and with Mitchell and Clarkson on the floor, he’ll get more open looks than just when Trae Young was out there.

This trade is not for the faint of heart. It is a huge move that would show the league Utah means business and is interested in winning a stacked West. If they make this trade, there is no rebuild, no tank, until at least 2026.