The Detroit Pistons made the right call on John Collins

When Troy Weaver introduced the two first-round picks taken in the 2023 draft, he reiterated his approach to restoring the Detroit Pistons: “In drafting, unlike trades and free agency, you get to show who you are, and these two young men represent what we want to be about here in Detroit. We doubled down hard with these two. These young men are about the right things.”

According to Keith Langlois, Weaver downplayed the moves he’ll make in free agency and offseason trades. His core is set, at least for the upcoming season, and he’ll work to develop and complement the players already on the roster.

From what we’ve seen these last few years, Weaver values specific personality traits and physical characteristics in his players. He wants players who will compete at a high level, focus on basketball, and put the team first, and he looks for athletic players who are oversized at their position and have a wingspan longer than their height.

So should the Detroit Pistons have taken a flyer on John Collins?

Detroit Pistons made the right call on John Collins

John Collins, a 6-foot-9 power forward with a wingspan over 6-foot-11 checks the box for a long player, though post players like Bam Adebayo or Jarrett Allen are both longer, and it shows in their ability to defend taller players and corral rebounds among the trees. Collins has excellent athleticism in the post, and he’s quicker than many post players. His quickness has allowed him to average a block per game for his career, but he’s not as quick as a player like Jerami Grant, who’s an inch shorter and can create his own shot.

Collins’ offense was where he exceled, averaging 15.8 points per game, peaking at 21.6 in his third year before beginning a decline. His scoring and rebounding dropped each year since. The Jazz, no doubt, hope the decline was due to lingering injuries, and a change of scenery and a bit of slack in the team’s expectations might allow for Collins to return to form.

Given how little the Jazz sacrificed for Collins and where they are as a franchise, they made a smart move. Hopefully they end up with a great player who complements Lauri Markannen.

This wasn’t a move the Detroit Pistons wanted to make and they were right.

As my colleague mentioned, the Pistons made the decision that they didn’t want to pay Bey’s next contract, so why would they take on Collins?

Collins has similar limitations to Isaiah Stewart, but Stewart is a better defender and his outside shooting is improving not declining. In a year, Beef Stew could be a better player on a more team-friendly contract than Collins.

John Collins has been the center of trade rumors for years, which can be a distraction for players. Collins, however, has reportedly been unflappable. He proved to be a consummate professional.

I’d like to think that’s true.

His testing positive for a growth hormone and subsequent 25 game suspension, however, wasn’t the best evidence of professionalism. A lot can happen behind the scenes in the NBA, and the Atlanta Hawks have not set the standard for maturity since their unexpected trip to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021. They’ve failed to reach expectations the following two seasons, both years when Collins’ efficiency declined following his suspension.

I hope a change of scenery helps Collins turn his numbers around. No doubt, he’ll get more touches on a Utah team without as ball dominant a point guard.

The Detroit Pistons need to stay the course. Weaver has a vision for this team, and no shortcuts will hasten to make that vision a reality, including trading for guys who don’t fit the characteristics he’s looking for.