Many factors will affect the Utah Jazz's fate around the NBA trade deadline. They don't have the best players to offer—part of that is because Walker Kessler is off the table—but the stars on the table, like Jimmy Butler, could determine what kind of return the Jazz should expect.
Not only that, but what affects will go out will depend on what the trade partner wants. Teams can change direction at the change of a hat, which could benefit the Jazz, but could also hurt them.
That brings us to De'Aaron Fox. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Sacramento Kings will listen to trade offers for the star point guard.
JUST IN: The Sacramento Kings are expected to open up talks to potentially deal All-Star De'Aaron Fox ahead of Feb. 6 trade deadline, sources tell ESPN. There will be plenty of suitors, but it's believed that Fox has a target destination in mind ahead of 2026 free agency. pic.twitter.com/Oh3fXgZjm3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 28, 2025
The Kings have been on a hot streak lately, though they have cooled down slightly. Though their play has been inspired, it evidently has not been enough to convince Fox to commit long-term to the team.
No one in the right mind thinks this ends with Fox going to Utah because there's no way the Jazz are taking that chance on him jumping ship in 2026. But this will affect where the Jazz go from here at the trade deadline.
This likely means Collins isn't going to Sacramento
Before the Fox report, recent intel revealed that the Kings' interest in adding John Collins was heating up. This made sense because it felt like things were truly on the up and up for Sacramento. Collins would have potentially added to that.
But now that the Kings plan to trade Fox, that will likely take them out of the running for Collins, though it will depend on what they get back for him. Maybe they'll re-visit talks if they get a player of Fox's caliber, but they don't have a lot of leverage since, again, Fox could leave next year.
So the Jazz will have to look elsewhere to trade Collins. This doesn't mean a trade won't happen period, but having one less team in a potential bidding war could hurt their leverage.
A Fox trade will put a Collin Sexton/Jordan Clarkson trade on hold
Anyone remotely familiar with how trading season works knows that teams always go after the biggest names before anyone else. Fox might not be a superstar, but he's a big name that can alter a team's direction a lot by himself.
That's why the Jazz should anticipate that teams will look into Fox before they look into trading for Collin Sexton or Jordan Clarkson. The Athletic's Sam Amick reported that the Rockets, Magic, Spurs, Clippers, and Heat have all inquired about Fox.
All of those teams fit as potential destinations for either Sexton or Clarkson, but because Fox is now available, the Jazz will likely have to wait until that situation shakes out before they could make a trade.
On the plus side, the Jazz could use what the Kings get in return for Fox as leverage in a deal for Sexton (though probably not Clarkson) because it could set the market for Sexton. He may not be better than Fox, but he is a quality guard that does a lot of the same things Fox does, though not at the same level.
De'Aaron likely won't ever be a Jazzman, but he could play a factor in where the Jazz go from here.