Darren Collison--A Blazer?

by letusrun on Feb 24, 2010 7:50 AM PST

I loved the BE article about "shake," the metric for how reliable a player is from game to game. I think it reveals perfectly the weakness of our team going forward. Outside Aldridge and Roy (and probably Camby) we don't know what we will get from anyone on a given night. Webster, Rudy and Bayless show signs of brilliance one quarter or one game and then disappear for long stretches of time. When thinking of our long-term future we need another player who is dependable most nights. The problem is all of our trading chips make very little money so it isn't realistic to expect to get an elite established player.

This is why I think we should go after Darren Collison because it actually makes total sense for both teams. Since Chris Paul has been out Collison has demonstrated not only incredible consistency, but has put up consistently incredible numbers. For instance in his last 10 games these are his stats: 21 points, 9 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 2 steals, 49% FG%, 83% FT%, 34% 3PT%. Insane numbers and he is quickly inserted himself into the discussion as one of the elite rookies. That said, he will always be a back-up to Paul obviously and they don't need a back-up to Paul that good, someone who will only play 12 minutes a night when Paul is healthy. But how much could they use a Rudy or a Webster (or both) on that team? They need a SG and will imminently need a replacement for Peja going forward at the 3. Both those players would get a ton more minutes than they do here, and Collison could be the point guard of our future when Miller's contract ends. Both teams would be trading back-ups who would then become starters and all the players are making rookie salaries.

What do you think?

Tweet Comment 39 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Here is one Hornets fan who agrees with you.

I actually posted that exact trade idea on Monday “perfectly timed trade proposal”. Rudy for Darren Collison. I also wanted to trade Andre and Martell for Peja and either swapping picks or the pick outright. That part wasn’t as popular, but maybe it would be if it was just the lottery pick outright.

Martell for DC isn’t a fair deal, but I think Rudy for DC is pretty fair. And that’s with Rudy having a dissapointing year, although I think he’ll recover.

by jdpourciau on Feb 24, 2010 8:46 AM PST reply actions

i loved collison at the draft last year, it almost seemed like he read this blog

i wouldn’t giving up rudy

Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum

by thomasikehara on Feb 24, 2010 8:51 AM PST up reply actions

You wouldn't giving up Rudy?

Wouldn’t mind or wouldn’t do it?

by nikolokolus on Feb 24, 2010 8:54 AM PST up reply actions

wouldn't mind

Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum

by thomasikehara on Feb 24, 2010 9:23 AM PST up reply actions

sorry i missed your post

it really seems like one of those win-win scenarios to me

by letusrun on Feb 24, 2010 9:08 AM PST up reply actions

I love Rudy, but I would give him up for Collison.

We could just play Bayless at the backup 2.

by In Walks Rudy on Feb 24, 2010 9:03 AM PST reply actions

is it me

or has there been more trade ideas post-deadline than before

Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum

by thomasikehara on Feb 24, 2010 9:24 AM PST reply actions

Isn't the trade deadline already past?

Or are we talking about off-season moves?

by BlazerFanFromDenver on Feb 24, 2010 10:04 AM PST reply actions

yes the deadline is behind us

this is a discussion about long-term moves to improve the team going forward

by letusrun on Feb 24, 2010 10:11 AM PST reply actions

Collison is NOT worth both Rudy and Martell.

Maybe one and a half of them.

Will the hornets take half of Webster?

I know less than half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.

by haildablazer on Feb 24, 2010 10:53 AM PST reply actions

yeah they will

but only if its the half that shows up to play defense and score points!

by socalblzrfan on Feb 24, 2010 11:14 AM PST reply actions

Collison is not the answer, Devin Harris is

Andre and Rudy for Harris works. The Nets could use a savvy vet PG to help John Wall develop over the next year or two and they need another SG as well. As always, we could throw in a couple of draft picks and/or cash.

"What we have here, is a failure to communicate."

by with_a_z on Feb 24, 2010 11:49 AM PST reply actions

Devin Harris can't hit a jumper and he needs the ball in his hands.

His D has also seriously slipped.

by jdpourciau on Feb 24, 2010 1:45 PM PST up reply actions

I think we should have DRAFTED him!

I’m definitely beating a dead horse, but it still kills me that we let Collison, Lawson, and Blair get away from us. We wouldn’t have ended up with all 3, but we could have easily drafted Collison and Blair with our existing picks (Collison went 1 pick ahead of where we drafted – Lawson 4 picks higher, we could have made a move to get them)

We needed a PG and a bruiser on the front line, and we let some of the premier and PROVEN players in college basketball get away from us.

Just imagine if we had Lawson and Blair right now. I know they made the Claver pick for a reason, but I think we pretty much ignored that draft, thinking our team was good to go -when we could have nabbed 2 really solid rotation guys

by rip_city_swagger on Feb 24, 2010 11:59 AM PST reply actions

must we whine about every good player the Blazers dont draft

EVERY SINGLE YEAR? one team cant draft all good players (believe it or not). We got Cunningham and Pendergraph with two 2nd rounders. Thats pretty good.

by 64-18 on Feb 24, 2010 12:19 PM PST up reply actions

..................... and wasted the Claver pick.

"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal

by timbo on Feb 24, 2010 2:58 PM PST up reply actions

Instead of Collison,

we should trade for Devin Harris. At this point we need to start looking at the ‘championship window’ (obviously not this season, but definitely next). A backup pg isn’t going to blast open the championship window. A PG of Harris’ caliber will. And KP has made it clear he likes Harris. Unfortunately, the best time to trade for Harris was last season, when we had RLEC. But if New Jersey does get the 1st pick in the draft lottery, they might want to trade Harris for multiple talented players, because they will have John Wall as their PG.

by 64-18 on Feb 24, 2010 12:23 PM PST reply actions

Collison isn't a backup PG

Have you looked at Collison’s numbers over the last month and in every other game Paul has missed? He isn’t a backup? I like Harris but he is injury-prone and having a crappy year to boot.

by letusrun on Feb 24, 2010 12:26 PM PST up reply actions

The problem is fit.

Harris is a good player, but so is Andre Miller. Players have to fit well together. Roy needs a player next to him who can hit an open jumper and who can play d.

by jdpourciau on Feb 24, 2010 1:58 PM PST up reply actions

Top 10

If you look at ESPN’s player rater for the past 30 days Collison is tenth in the league in overall performance. Tenth! But even if he ended up as a top 50 or 75 player it would be worth the trade. If the last month is any indication of his potential however, he could be a huge acquisition.

by letusrun on Feb 24, 2010 1:09 PM PST reply actions

Devin Harris is quickly turning into Knicks-era Marbury.

That Kidd trade just keeps looking better and better for Dallas. Collison would fit perfectly on this team.

by sammy on Feb 24, 2010 2:59 PM PST reply actions

Frankly, I think that's a really poor return for New Orleans.

Rudy for Collison straight up would be a bad deal. Rudy is a worse defender, worse rebounder, (much) worse passer, and shoots for a worse FG%. He’s two years older and plays an easier position with a more common skillset. The only thing he does better is shoot from distance.

by sammy on Feb 24, 2010 3:30 PM PST reply actions

I don't know

Shooting better from 3 isn’t a small consideration for a team with Chris Paul to get shooters the ball.

However, whether they do this deal or not depends a lot on what they’re near term goals are. If they’re still hoping to hold on to Chris Paul, and think they need to make a solid playoff run to do that, then they might do the deal. However, if they’re looking longer term and think they might lose Chris Paul to free agency, they might prefer to keep Collison as a replacement.

by Gelvalst on Feb 24, 2010 3:44 PM PST up reply actions

Right, obviously this is contingent on the Hornets deciding to shop Collison.

A defensively-mediocre sharpshooting 2 isn’t the most difficult asset to find, though, so I’d imagine if they were shopping Collison they could find a better return.

by sammy on Feb 24, 2010 4:02 PM PST up reply actions

not so sure

It would be hard for them to bring back big returns on Collison because he doesn’t make any money. We have TONS of cheap talent. I’m sure some combination of Bayless, Webster or Rudy would lead the pack of workable offers

by letusrun on Feb 24, 2010 4:38 PM PST up reply actions

After Rubio and Jennings

Collison was the next best point guard in last years point guard heavy draft. He was also perfectly attainable with minor (2nd round picks) cost. It’s a shame he isn’t on the team, because he’d be a great long term fit here in Portland.

by as11osu on Feb 24, 2010 4:44 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

Lately, Curry's looking like he's gonna work out at the point.

I would actually put Lawson and Collison above Jennings. I’m not convinced Jennings is gonna be any better than a poor man’s Steve Francis.

by sammy on Feb 24, 2010 5:06 PM PST up reply actions

Curry's a SG ideally

running around shooting the long ball.

by as11osu on Feb 24, 2010 5:33 PM PST up reply actions

He can pass

better than Flynn and Lawson, who are considered pg’s.

by MadBlaze on Feb 24, 2010 6:45 PM PST up reply actions

that's true

It’s not that he’s not a PG, it’s just that he’s a better SG. His best and most important attribute are the way and efficiency in which he shoots/scores the basketball. He’s also better at defending SG’s than PG’s because of his lack of elite athleticism. There aren’t very many SG’s that can take advantage of his size, but there are LOTS of PG’s that can take advantage of his relative slowness.

by as11osu on Feb 24, 2010 7:23 PM PST up reply actions

DC has been straight ballin and he has no jim..

he is putting up rediculous numbers right now, I would give up Bayless for him and that probably sounds pretty stupid, but I have been a big fan of his since his sophmore year in college.

"Good, Better, Best, never let it rest until your good is your better and your better is your best." Tim Duncan

by flynn4blazers on Feb 24, 2010 10:31 PM PST reply actions

I like DC

I’d much rather give up Bayless than Rudy though. Bayless and Martell, that seems pretty fair. I don’t know if the numbers work

by sabonis11 on Feb 25, 2010 12:21 AM PST reply actions

Just how good Collison is I don't think that we can tell.

I believe Collison’s stats are because of the system that New Orleans run. Darren is clearly getting the same plays that CP3 does and doing a good imitation job. His turnovers are pretty high though. As for our ability to get him for just Rudy, I think that we would have to give up more than just Rudy. The Hornets got themselves a pretty good SG now though, certainly better than Rudy. Marcus Thornton can really shoot the ball and is young and more athletic than Rudy. We might have to take back one of their bad contracts or wait till Collison becomes a free agent.

by VinnyB on Feb 25, 2010 5:02 AM PST reply actions