Report: Lakers linked to 6-foot-9 power forward John Collins

As the Los Angeles Lakers look to add to their frontcourt, they have been linked to Utah Jazz forward John Collins in a new report.

While a center is L.A.’s biggest frontcourt need (and Collins is a power forward), there could be some value here for L.A.

Collins played in under half of the Jazz’s 82 games in the 2024-25 regular season but was debatably their best player when he was at full strength, as he averaged 19.0 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while shooting 52.7 percent from the field and 39.9 percent from 3.

It’s unclear who or what the Jazz would want from the Lakers in a deal for Collins. Still, there seems to be a real possibility that Utah overhauls its roster this summer after the Jazz won a league-worst 17 games in the regular season. Collins could be a casualty of the team’s underwhelming campaign.

Collins, a capable defender, would also help the Lakers offensively. He’s averaged as many as 21.6 points per game in a single season at the highest level and also has scored the ball with impressive accuracy throughout his pro tenure, as he’s shot 54.6 percent from the field for his NBA career.

The former first-round pick’s contact situation is something to monitor amid trade rumors. After all, he has a player option attached to his contract for the 2025-26 season that he has yet to make his mind up on.

Collins opting in would keep him under contract for one more year, while declining the option would result in him becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer.

The Lakers would certainly be gaining a solid rotation piece in Collins, but he also wouldn’t come without his injury concerns. Collins has played in 70-plus games in only two of his first eight seasons in the league, and one of those instances was in his rookie season all the way back in the 2017-18 campaign.

He will be a name to monitor, even though the Lakers need to continue their search for a true center this offseason.