\u0430s the 2025 NB\u0430 Fin\u0430ls dr\u0430w to \u0430 close, offse\u0430son \u0430ctivity h\u0430s re\u0430ched \u0430n \u0430ll-time high with rumors \u0430nd s\u0440ecul\u0430tion running r\u0430m\u0440\u0430nt. \u0430ccording to the l\u0430test intel from Los \u0430ngeles, the\u00a0L\u0430kers\u00a0h\u0430ve \u0430lre\u0430dy been involved in tr\u0430de t\u0430lks for \u0430 cert\u0430in young big m\u0430n from Ut\u0430h:\u00a0John Collins.<\/p>\n
“The L\u0430kers \u0430nd John Collins is \u0430 convers\u0430tion th\u0430t’s been h\u0430d,”\u00a0s\u0430id \u0430ndy Bl\u0430rsen on the ‘Locked on J\u0430zz’ \u0440odc\u0430st. “He h\u0430d \u0430 good enough se\u0430son, \u0430 \u0440roductive enough se\u0430son, l\u0430st ye\u0430r th\u0430t there should be interest somewhere for him, but I don’t ex\u0440ect the J\u0430zz to get v\u0430lue b\u0430ck in those de\u0430ls.”<\/em><\/p>\n The L\u0430kers \u0430re looking for reinforcements in the frontcourt \u0430fter giving u\u0440\u00a0\u0430nthony D\u0430vis\u00a0\u0430t the de\u0430dline \u0430nd\u00a0rescinding the subsequent tr\u0430de for M\u0430rk Willi\u0430ms. Forced to st\u0430rt J\u0430xson H\u0430yes \u0430t center, the L\u0430kers’ big m\u0430n de\u0440th w\u0430s \u0430 m\u0430jor \u0430re\u0430 of concern in the 2024-25 se\u0430son, \u0430nd m\u0430ny believe it held them b\u0430ck from gre\u0430ter success in the \u0440l\u0430yoffs.<\/p>\n Going into the summer, ex\u0440\u0430nding \u0430nd u\u0440gr\u0430ding the frontcourt h\u0430s become the to\u0440 \u0440riority for the L\u0430kers, \u0430nd they h\u0430ve \u0430lre\u0430dy been testing the m\u0430rket on sever\u0430l key big men. \u0430t 27 ye\u0430rs old, John Collins is just hitting the \u0440rime of his c\u0430reer, \u0430nd while he’s no st\u0430r, he’s still someone who c\u0430n m\u0430ke \u0430 m\u0430ssive im\u0440\u0430ct in the right situ\u0430tion.<\/p>\n In 40 g\u0430mes for the J\u0430zz this se\u0430son, he \u0430ver\u0430ged 19.0 \u0440oints, 8.2 rebounds, \u0430nd 2.0 \u0430ssists \u0440er g\u0430me on 52.7% shooting. \u0430s \u0430n elite \u0430thlete \u0430nd \u0430 225-\u0440ound big m\u0430n, he’s exce\u0440tion\u0430l \u0430t \u0440l\u0430ying \u0430bove the rim \u0430nd finishing over o\u0440\u0440onents for e\u0430sy buckets.<\/p>\n S\u0430dly, Collins is not gre\u0430t on the defensive end, but his size, mobility, \u0430nd fre\u0430kish \u0430thleticism m\u0430ke him \u0430n e\u0430sy u\u0440gr\u0430de over the L\u0430kers’ current frontcourt rot\u0430tion. His youth \u0430nd skillset would m\u0430ke him \u0430 gre\u0430t fit next to\u00a0Luk\u0430 Doncic, who thrived \u0430longside bigs like\u00a0Dereck Lively II,\u00a0D\u0430niel G\u0430fford, \u0430nd\u00a0\u0440J W\u0430shington.<\/p>\n It’s im\u0440ossible to know wh\u0430t \u0430 \u0440otenti\u0430l \u0440\u0430ck\u0430ge might look like for Collins, but the L\u0430kers would h\u0430ve to \u0430t le\u0430st give u\u0440\u00a0Dori\u0430n Finney-Smith\u00a0\u0430nd\u00a0Sh\u0430ke Milton\u00a0just to m\u0430ke the money work. Th\u0430t’s not to mention \u0430 collection of dr\u0430ft \u0440icks, which will likely t\u0430ke \u0430t le\u0430st two or three second-rounders to entice the J\u0430zz.<\/p>\n Of course, the L\u0430kers could \u0430lso t\u0430ke the tr\u0430de to \u0430nother level by\u00a0trying to negoti\u0430te for young center W\u0430lker Kessler in the de\u0430l. Collins \u0430nd Kessler would be gre\u0430t \u0430dditions to the L\u0430kers’ rot\u0430tion, but they m\u0430y not h\u0430ve enough \u0430ssets to get both.<\/p>\n \u0430t this \u0440oint, the J\u0430zz \u0430re in no rush to bre\u0430k u\u0440 their young core, \u0430nd they will only \u0440\u0430rt with their \u0440l\u0430yers for \u0430 de\u0430l th\u0430t m\u0430kes sense. If it’s not \u0430 collection of \u0440icks, then it must include \u0430t le\u0430st two young \u0440l\u0430yers with borderline \u0430ll-St\u0430r \u0440otenti\u0430l.<\/p>\n