Zach Collins Agrees to Contract Extension with Spurs

FormerPortland Trail Blazerscenter Zach Collins has agreed to a two-year, $35 million contract extension with theSan Antonio Spurs,ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Sunday morning.

Collins had one year left on his initial three-year, $22 million deal with the Spurs, so the extension will secure his services through the 2025-26 season. As Wojnarowski pointed out in his reporting, the new deal punctuates an impressive comeback for the former No. 10 overall pick, after injuries threatened to derail his career.

Collins, 25, is finally showing the good health necessary to fulfill the promise of his early career with the Portland Trail Blazers. Collins played 11 games for the Blazers in 2019-20 and missed the entirety of 2020-21 while undergoing multiple ankle surgeries. He signed with the Spurs in the 2021 offseason, made his San Antonio debut in February 2022 and then played all of last season. His performance has started to resemble the versatility that made him the 10th overall pick in the 2017NBA draft.

In 63 games last season, including 26 starts, Collins averaged 11.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 0.8 blocks, while shooting 37.4% on 2.3 3-point attempts per game — all of which, except for blocks, were career highs. Collins followed that up with a solid preseason run this October. While backing up and playing alongside No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama, Collins averaged 14.3 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.8 assists.

In four seasons with the Blazers, Collins appeared in 154 regular season games. The 6-foot-11 center averaged 5.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game. In the 2018-19 season, Collins’ second in the league, he played a key rotation role for the Blazers during their run to the 2019 Western Conference Finals.