Among the list of players who defy gravity in the NBA, the LA Clippers have the first place winner in Derrick Jones Jr. He is always finding creative ways to display his athleticism, whether that comes from rim running to the baseline for a putback dunk or being thrown an alley-oop from a historically talented playmaking guard, James Harden.
However, the Clippers may also have a claim to second place, as evidenced by John Collins, who is among the best in the league. Collins has a highlight reel of numerous Dunk of the Year-worthy slams since being drafted by the Atlanta Hawks eight years ago.
Collins used to be someone who could rebound and finish, primarily above the rim, but as he developed, the Wake Forest product added a lethal jump shot to his game, making him someone the Clippers strived to land from Atlanta before he was traded to the Utah Jazz.
In Salt Lake City, Collins had a great support system, but Trae Young was no longer there to find and set him up. His growth was not halted, as the six-foot-nine forward was forced to create his shot at times, but in year nine, he returns to having an all-world passer, and possibly two, if Chris Paul joins.
Despite strengths in the paint and from a distance, executive Lawrence Frank overlooked a major weakness of his game, which will likely become an uncontrollable problem for the Clippers later in the regular season.
The LA Clippers will soon realize that John Collins should never have been traded for, as his defense cannot be masked
The numbers this season for John Collins looked phenomenal, with 19.0 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, as did the film. However, his defense in the power forward position is a flaw that will cause issues in the starting lineup.
Next to Ivica Zubac, the Clippers thrived with Kawhi Leonard at the four slot, given that he is also a one-of-a-kind defender. This also forced Tyronn Lue to include either Kris Dunn or Derrick Jones Jr., who both made the lineup significantly stronger on the perimeter.
But, with Dunn and Jones Jr. on the bench, and Leonard at small forward, the Clippers’ defense will take a hit with Collins in the paint. He is, and has been, ineffective for his size, minimal awareness, and avoidance of physicality.
These are aspects Jeff Van Gundy looks for, but will not find in Collins, forcing the Clippers to reconsider their move with the Utah Jazz and Miami Heat.