The Portland Trail Blazers announced on Tuesday morning that they have signed veteran big man Jarron Collins to a 10-day contract, confirmingMonday's chatter. The signing brings Portland's roster to 14 players, leaving one spot open. Collins will be available for tonight's game against the Houston Rockets.
As noted last night, if Collins' name sounds familiar it's because he was a 2009 training camp invite and was one of three players - along with Ime Udoka and Blazers guard Patty Mills - in competition for the team's 15th roster spot. Mills won out and Collins eventually found a spot with the Phoenix Suns before signing with the Los Angeles Clippers this season.
In this year's version ofPro Basketball Prospectus,Kevin Peltonwrites...
Because Alvin Gentry wanted to keep Channing Frye in a sixth man role when Robin Lopez was sidelined, Jarron Collins earned the distinction of being one of the worst players to start playoff games in league history. Lopez's return to the lineup pushed Collins back to the end of the bench, a more appropriate role at this stage of his career.
In fairness to Collins, our individual metrics fail to pick up his biggest strengths. He's excellent at defending the post and very good at taking charges. Still, the rest of Collins' game is so weak that he is a liability. He rarely shoots the basketball yet is still an inaccurate shooter. Collins is also a poor rebounder; last year's rebound percentage was the best of his career. As a result, Phoenix was 7.0 points worse per 100 possessions with Collins on the floor. If basketball offered a platoon system, he would have value, but it is too difficult to score playing 4-on-5 at the NBA level. Collins will attend training camp with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he will battle Jake Voskuhl for a possible spot for a third center.
KP2's SCHOENE rating system says Collins is most similar to: Greg Kite, Marc Iavaroni, Paul Mokeski, and Joe Wolf.
Collins, a 6'11" and 249 pound center out of Stanford, holds career averages of 3.9 points and 2.9 rebounds in 15.9 minutes per game over 10 seasons in the league. In 23 appearances for the Clippers this season, Collins averaged 0.7 points and 0.7 rebounds in 6.8 minutes per game.
A 10-day contract carries Collins through tonight's game plus games against the Sacramento Kings (March 2), Charlotte Bobcats (March 5), Orlando Magic (March 7) and Miami Heat (March 8). Collins would then be eligible for a second 10-day contract.
Collins helps shore up a front line that lost centers Joel Przybilla and Sean Marks and forward Dante Cunningham to the Charlotte Bobcats in the Gerald Wallace trade.
Here's the team's press release.
TRAIL BLAZERS SIGN CENTER JARRON COLLINS TO A 10-DAY CONTRACT
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Trail Blazers have signed center Jarron Collins to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by General Manager Rich Cho.
Collins, 32, holds career averages of 3.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 15.9 minutes in 537 games (216 starts) with Utah, Phoenix and the L.A. Clippers. He appeared in 23 games this season for the Clippers, posting averages of 0.7 points, 0.7 rebounds and 6.8 minutes.
A 10-year NBA veteran who played collegiately at Stanford, Collins (6-11, 249) spent the 2009 preseason with the Trail Blazers, averaging 3.5 points, 2.0 rebounds and 14.0 minutes in four games.
The Trail Blazers roster stands at 14 players with today's signing.
He will wear jersey No. 31.
Picture via thisBlazers.comvideo.
-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com |Twitter