Sir Eagle Strikes 1-for-2 Deal! Collins for Guy + second round: Ratings are out, Ainge wins again
On June 27, Beijing time, according to Woj, the Hawks and Jazz are finalizing a deal, and the Hawks sent John Collins to the Jazz to get forward Guy and a future second-round pick. Later, Jeff Schultz confirmed that the deal had been completed. In this deal, the Hawks received a $25.3 million trade exception, the largest trade exception in history, and the team has a year to take advantage of this exception to absorb player contracts. The Athletic's trading ratings are out, and Danny Angie, the president of jazz operations known as "Old Fox," wins again!
The Jazz finally got Collins
The Jazz have been brewing the deal for some time, and they've been interested in Corinth for more than a year. They thought Collins was a good fit for the Jazz's lineup and system, playing the No. 4 and No. 5 picks. The Jazz are expected to field a fairly tall frontcourt, with Markkanen playing small forward and partnering Collins and Kessler.
The 25-year-old Collins played in 71 games for the Hawks last season, averaging 13.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game, and the Jazz thought Collins was okay with his ability and just needed a different environment. Collins, the No. 19 pick in 2017, spent six seasons with the Hawks before signing a five-year, $125 million contract with the Hawks in August 2021. He has $78 million left on his contract for three years: $25.34 million in 2023-24, $26.58 million in 2024-25, and $26.58 million in player options in 2025-26.
Guy executed his player option for the 2023-24 season, worth $6.4 million. Last season, the 36-year-old Guy played 56 games off the bench with the Jazz, averaging 5.2 points and 2.9 rebounds.
What does this deal mean for Jazz?
By trading Collins, the Jazz sent a message that their goal next season is to remain playoff competitive, or at least playoff-competitive. Next season's first-round pick (top-10 protection) belongs to the Thunder, and if they have a good record, this debt will be successfully repaid. In exchange for Corinth, it shows that they have such a will.
Why did the Eagles make this deal?
In the short term, the Hawks want to solve the salary problem. Removing Collins' $25.34 million salary from the 2023-24 payroll could exempt the Hawks from paying the luxury tax for the 2023-24 season. In this regard, it reduces the urgency for the Hawks to trade Capela or Hunter and also allows coach Snyder to increase the playing time of young forwards Jalen Johnson and AJ Griffin.
For most of the past three seasons, Collins has been the focus of trade rumors. Previously, some teams offered him and the Hawks refused. Today, Collins' form has declined significantly, his role in the offensive has been weakened, and the value of the trade has dropped significantly.
Trade ratings: Jazz A, Eagles F+
The Athletic's trade rating is out, the Jazz have an A, and the Hawks only have an F+.
For the Jazz, Collins is a player not to be missed, and although he was one of the worst performances of his career last season, averaging new lows since his show season and being questioned defensively, he was an excellent blocker-blocking big man. Markkanen has a backlash with the Jazz, and they hope Collins will do the same. The Jazz can bring Markkanen, Collins and Kessler together, and with rookie Hendricks, they have more frontcourt combinations. Angie got him at almost no cost. Jazz rated A, and became a big winner.
For the Hawks, Collins is worth a second-round pick and 36-year-old Guy. This is not the value of the deal he should have. In trading, everyone is looking to maximize profits, and obviously, the Eagles are not rewarding much, even if they get a historical trading exception. While they don't have to pay the luxury tax, the Hawks paid just over $1 million last season.
If only to avoid paying the luxury tax, the Eagles trade for Corinth is a complete failure, let's see what follow-up deals follow. The Eagles rated F+ and were the losers in this deal.