5 non-superstars that could help the Utah Jazz win this year

4 of 6

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – FEBRUARY 28: Zach Collins #23 of the San Antonio Spurs defends Lauri Markkanen #23 of the Utah Jazz during the first half of a game at Vivint Arena on February 28, 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) /

Zach Collins – San Antonio Spurs

Joining Cedi Osman on this list is Zach Collins, another spurs forward. Collins, once thought to be a bust with the Portland Trail Blazers, has found new life in San Antonio and has become a true-blue starter for the Spurs organization. And while he isn’t lighting the world on fire offenisvley (-4.1 offensive box plus-minus), he is an improvement defensively over just about every big the Utah Jazz has (+0.4 defensive box plus minus).

If you put him on a team that features Walker Kessler, and possibly the addition of Alex Caruso, Collins will end up impacting the team’s defense at a much higher rate. He’s always been a positive defensive player regardless of his location and he can continue that trend on a team like the Jazz who are hungry for his defensive prowess.

For a big, Collins isn’t a great shooter historically, just 33% from downtown, but he’s someone who can be a decent inside scorer and a good inside defender. He’s not going to be posting Kevin Love levels of scoring and rebounding, but he can be good enough to help cover the paint with Kessler. And that alone makes him profoundly more valuable than if he were hitting 38% from three.

Home/Jazz News