Clippers lose John Collins, who signs 3-year deal with Pistons

Power forward John Collins, a free agent whose strong second-half play helped turn around the Clippers’ sinking season, is reportedly headed to the Detroit Pistons on a three-year, $51 million deal.

ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to report the move that appears to be a sign-and-trade deal that potentially gives the Pistons room to retain guard Duncan Robinson.

The Clippers acquired Collins from the Utah Jazz last season with the hope of bolstering their depth and size in the front court. But Collins struggled to fit in and his uneven play early on led to trade rumors in February and some questioning the team’s decision to deal away fan favorite guard Norman Powell for the 6-9 power forward.

But Collins responded with aggressive defense and strong inside play in the second half to help the team finish with a 42-41 record and a spot in the Play-In Tournament, where they were eliminated by the Golden State Warriors.

Collins averaged 13.6 points and 5.3 rebounds while shooting 54.6% from the field and 40.6% from 3-point range, proving to be a solid role player alongside stars Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

Collins was a first-round pick by the Atlanta Hawks in 2017, where he spent the first six seasons of his career. He has a career 36.9% shooting percentage from 3-point range.

Charania reported that Collins was a “top target” for the Pistons considering they are likely losing forward Tobias Harris in free agency.

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