We've got another trade, folks, and this time, it didn't involve the Utah Jazz! The San Antonio Spurs, Sacramento Kings, and Chicago Bulls agreed to a blockbuster trade that sent Fox to the Spurs and LaVine to the Kings.
Full trade:
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2025
Spurs: De'Aaron Fox, Jordan McLaughlin
Kings: Zach LaVine, Sidy Cissoko, three first round picks (2025 CHA, 2027 SAS, 2031 MIN), three second round picks (2025 CHI, 2028 DEN, 2028 own back)
Bulls: Zach Collins, Tre Jones, Kevin Huerter, their own 2025 pick via SAS https://t.co/UgwylCUYAO
Two of the biggest dominos in the trading season have fallen, and literally less than a day after the bonkers Luka Doncic trade. The Jazz weren't involved in this, and why would they? They wouldn't have interest in Fox (who was going to San Antonio no matter what) or LaVine (and that not-as-awful-as-it-once-was-but-still-bad contract).
However, this trade does impact the Jazz in two ways.
1. This likely means no John Collins to Sacramento
Before the Fox drama, the Jazz appeared to be making progress on a deal to send Collins to the Kings. Fox put that on hold, and with the deal now done, it really feels like it's not going to be on the table.
Sacramento traded its most expendable salary with Kevin Huerter to Chicago. That makes it pretty hard for them to get Collins because anyone paid around the same money as him are players the Kings want to keep - LaVine, Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk - so it'd be difficult to match salary.
They have other salaries they could potentially throw-in, like dear old friend Trey Lyles, but he only makes $8 million. Keegan Murray makes around the same, but the Kings likely aren't trading him for someone like Collins.
So it appears the Jazz will have to keep looking for a taker for Collins. That doesn't mean he won't be on a new team. it just means the ones that wanted him most is no longer in the convo.
2. The Jazz could this deal to their advantage in trade talks
The Bulls didn't get a haul for LaVine. In fact, the most noteworthy asset they got back for him was their own from San Antonio. However, three first-round picks, no matter value they have, are still three first-round picks.
The best players the Jazz are dangling aren't as good as LaVine, but they are paid much cheaper than he is. They may use this deal as the return they expect back for their guys. Their basis would be that LaVine got back as much as he did seeing as he's widely considered to be on one of the worst contracts in the NBA.
The current trading atmosphere keeps changing itself with each move coming out. The Jazz have played a hand in that, though they haven't changed their current roster makeup. Let's see in that changes in the next four days.