After making a trade to capitalize on the Phoenix Suns' desperation, the Utah Jazz were apparently within inches of selling off their first player in trading season - John Collins - but it wasn't meant to be. For now, at least.
Collins has been linked to the Sacramento Kings. In fact, not too long ago, it sounded like things were progressing towards a trade between Utah and Sacto. This hasn't technically been confirmed yet, but it would seem that the newest revelation surrounding De'Aaron Fox changed everything.
The Sacramento Bee's James Ham revealed that the Kings had a trade in place to the point where they had told their players they had traded for someone. He then confirmed that the player in question was Collins.
“I know [the Kings] had a deal worked out for somebody a week ago, and they went and told their players… and then they didn’t do it.”
— KeeganMuse (@KeegMuse) January 29, 2025
“They are perpetually stuck in this cycle of being close to a couple of deals… and then nothing actually happens.”
via @James_HamNBA pic.twitter.com/UMAFcNMATY
Putting the two and two together, what changed the Kings' minds was that they were bringing Collins onto a team with sudden uncertainty. Hence, the deal was called off, and Collins remains with the Jazz for the time being.
Even if their intent was to get Collins off their payroll, it is a shame that the Jazz had an aspiring playoff team in line to send the big man more than anything. In other words, they are trying to do right by Collins by putting him on a tram that needs him.
However, even if how they handled the situation wasn't the best, the Kings deserve props for not doing something stupid with the Fox drama going on. Not that acquiring specifically Collins would have been stupid, but getting someone of his caliber when the Kings' playoff hopes may be in jeopardy may not have been the wisest move.
Could a Collins trade still happen?
The Kings were listed as one of the Collins' top destinations. However, depending on how the Fox situation shakes out, they may not be an option from now on. Once the Fox debacle is resolved, maybe they'll re-enter negotiations for the Jazz big man, but no one will know until then.
If they don't, intel like this at least serves as concrete proof that Collins has a trade market. Teams aspiring to the playoffs will want to acquire him. It wasn't clear what the Kings planned to send back for Collins, but odds are the Jazz simply wanted matching salaries of players not considered to be on albatross contracts.
If the best they can get in a deal for Collins is players on more tradeable contracts, the Jazz will take it even if it's not much. With the Kings supposedly out of the running for Collins, the Jazz will have to look into who else in the league has the same players that the Kings were willing to offer for him.