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In a conference as hard as a rock like the West, if you don't have a team that has a real chance to win it all, you're better off finding luck in the NBA draft. The Utah Jazz realized their roster wasn't good enough with Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert as their core in 2022 and opted to tank to secure high draft picks. In fact, they've won only 48 games total in the last two seasons. Unfortunately, that strategy has only netted them as high as the No. 5 pick.
This offseason, the Jazz are leaving nothing to chance to ensure they can secure the No. 1 pick in 2026.
Jazz traded John Collins for being ‘too productive'
The Jazz have been busy this offseason trying to make their team as incompetent as possible by trading three of their top leading scorers from last season. Collin Sexton was the first to go as they traded him to the Hornets for Jusuf Nurkic. Next, they bought out Jordan Clarkson, who then signed with the New York Knicks.
But perhaps one of the most puzzling moves this offseason was them trading Collins to the Clippers to land Kyle Anderson and Kevin Love from the Heat. Two players who will most likely not even suit up for the Jazz this coming season. Collins was the Jazz's leading scorer last season, had the best statistical season of his career, and is only going to turn 28 this September.
Who wouldn't want that kind of player as one of the building blocks for the future, right?
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, the reason the Jazz might've traded Collins was simply because he was too productive for them.
“The problem with him (Collins) in Utah was that he was too productive last season,” Macmahon said on a recent ESPN podcast. “I don’t even remember all the injuries they came up with to make sure he didn’t play. They limited him to 40 games last year, and he played in 70% of their wins. They didn't win a lot, but won too often with John Collins; they had to get rid of him.”
Removing them (Sexton, Clarkson, and Collins) from the equation ensures that Utah will focus on developing young players over winning next season, which is exactly what the front office wants.
Jazz are betting all their chips on the future
In 2023, the Jazz landed the ninth pick. In 2024, they moved up slightly to fifth.
The goal for the 2025-26 season? Secure the No.1 overall pick and draft AJ Dybantsa, who has become a local celebrity in Utah for concluding his high school basketball career at Utah Prep Academy and committing to play college basketball for BYU.
With these moves, the Jazz are making one thing clear: they’re not interested in short-term success. Instead, they’re going all-in on building through the draft. Whether this bold rebuild pays off remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: the Utah Jazz are betting everything on the future, and they’re not trying to hide it.
