NBA Rumors: Jazz Rebuffed Hawks' Interest in John Collins-for-Lauri Markkanen Trade

The Atlanta Hawks reportedly approached the Utah Jazz hoping to trade John Collins for Lauri Markkanen.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported Wednesday that the Jazz rejected the offer, which "did not generate any traction."

It's not hard to see why the Jazz would reject such an offer. Markkanen has been one of the breakout players of the NBA's first month, averaging 22.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game to help spur the Jazz's surprising 12-7 start.

"I think it's been the overall game coming together,” Markkanen told Tony Jones of The Athletic. "Working on my overall game, working on where my spots are on the floor. I've just been trying to bring everything together and just keep working on the overall package. I think the important thing is not being satisfied. I have to know that there are a lot of things that I can keep improving. It's a process."

Collins, meanwhile, is in the midst of arguably his worst NBA season. His points per game have dropped for the third straight campaign, down from 21.6 in 2019-20 to 12.6 this season. He also has not developed into an elite rim protector the way the Hawks hoped and is shooting a career-low 26.9 percent from behind the arc.

The Hawks have made Collins a regular fixture on the trade market for years and haven't been able to find a taker to meet their asking price. Shopping him around now at the nadir of his value isn't going to lead to many fruitful conversations—especially if Atlanta management is seeking a player like Markkanen.

Collins is in just the second season of a five-year, $125 million deal. While he has a player option for the 2025-26 campaign, it's highly unlikely he'll turn down $26.6 million given the trajectory of his career.

If the Hawks want to trade Collins and recoup any value that will help them on the floor, they're going to have to wait and see if he turns his season around.