Jordan Clarkson and John Collins have done about as well as the Utah Jazz could have realistically expected from them. That doesn't change that they will try to trade them the first chance they get. For as good as they've been, they are better off on playoff teams.
Warts and all, Clarkson's still a good scorer capable of going off on any night, which would be perfect for teams looking for a scorer. Collins is overpaid, but he's a floor-spacer, rebounder, and lob threat, while not a bad shot-creator. His trade value was once pathetic, but he's been everything the Jazz hoped he would be.
Their trade value is high enough that the Jazz could trade them without including draft assets, but that would probably be the best they can hope for. They could get a player or two with good value and maybe an expiring contract, but it would depend on who those players are.
ESPN's Andre Snellings proposed a blockbuster trade between the Jazz, Bulls, and Timberwolves that would put Clarkson and Collins on better teams than Utah. He proposed the following deal between the three teams.
Timberwolves receive: Collins, Coby White
Bulls receive: Clarkson, Julius Randle
Jazz receive: Jaden McDaniels, Lonzo Ball, Chris Duarte
Snellings' explanation for why the Jazz would trade Clarkson and Collins is sound. They have younger talent that deserves more playing time, which they would get if Clarkson and Collins were off the team. As for why they would accept that package back for them, here's what he had to say.
"What Utah lacks is a young, starting caliber small forward capable of opposing wings. McDaniels would fit to a tee, and both Ball and Duarte are expiring contracts that could potentially be moved or terminated," Snellings wrote.
Getting cap relief back for Collins and Clarkson is exactly what a rebuilding team like the Jazz would want. With McDaniels' inclusion, they wouldn't get the most cap relief they would hope for, but a trade like this gets them some, and that might be the best they can hope for if that's what they want more than anything.
Why McDaniels is a pretty good addition
Let's raise the one red flag about acquiring McDaniels. He just started the first year of a five-year contract worth $131 million. He is recognized as one of the NBA's better wing defenders, but his average of nearly 10 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 44.3% and 32.7% from three is a little concerning.
He'll make over $20 million this season, and his contract only increases with time. That alone might be enough to scare away the Jazz, but they don't have much to lose by acquiring him. Their cap sheet still opens up from this trade, and the NBA's salary cap is supposed to go up.
McDaniels is 24 years old, so he fits the Jazz's young timeline. If he was 31, that'd be problematic. Plus, McDaniels has shown that he has been a better floor-spacer in the past. In an enviroment with no pressure, he could be exactly what the Jazz need at small forward.
Even if they intend not to keep him long-term, if he works out for the team, his reaching another level in Utah could play hand-in-hand with them selling him off for more draft assets in the future. Of course, it may all depend on where the Jazz would be in a few years.
In short, McDaniels could either be their small forward of the future for a rebuilding team or he could be developed into another trade asset if the Jazz help him thrive. Maybe he's expensive, but Utah can afford that.
Plus, it'd be pretty funny to see the Jazz help the Timberwolves a third time since they blew it all up in 2022.
Grade: A-