Did the Clippers Make a Mistake by Not Re-Signing John Collins?

The Los Angeles Clippers have been active this offseason, making significant changes to their roster. They sent Kawhi Leonard to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, four picks, and a pick swap.

On a smaller scale, LA declined the team option on Bogdan Bogdanovic, and he signed with the Houston Rockets. On Tuesday, they also re-signed Kobe Sanders to a four-year, $11.2 million deal.

However, they lost a key contributor from last season on Wednesday morning. Per ESPN's Shams Charania, free agent forward John Collins has agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal with the Detroit Pistons.

Should the Clippers Have Re-Signed Collins?

It's unclear at the moment if LA attempted to re-sign Collins. The veteran forward said at the end of the season he would like to return to the Clippers, but he ultimately cashed in on a nice deal with the Pistons.

This marks Collins' second major deal of his career after he signed a five-year, $125 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks in 2021. It's a tough loss for LA. Collins played in 69 games and averaged nearly 14 points and five rebounds per game.

However, this was a wise decision by the Clippers not to bring back the 28-year-old. Given the new timeline LA is facing with the post-Leonard era, they should focus on developing their younger players instead of handing out $51 million to Collins.

He'll earn an opportunity to compete with a Detroit team that has championship aspirations next season. Collins will serve as a lob threat and solid floor spacer for point guard Cade Cunningham.

What Is the Next Move for the Clippers?

With Collins out of the picture, the frontcourt is short-handed. Brook Lopez and Yanic Konan Niederhauser remain the lone centers on the roster, so LA should be in the market for a rebounding big. If the Clippers want to play small ball, they could use Isaiah Jackson at the five.

However, the two aforementioned centers are the only players on the roster above 6'8" that will receive significant playing time. Second-round pick Baba Miller is 6'11", but he'll likely develop in the G League to begin his career.

The expectations for this LA team may have been lowered after the Leonard trade, but they still need to acquire some frontcourt help. It seems unrealistic to expect Lopez to operate as the starting center for 82 games with his age and declining athleticism.

Letting Collins walk was a mutually beneficial move for both sides. The Clippers desperately needed a roster shakeup, and it's clear the organization is moving in a new direction.

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