Zach Collins Fractures His Foot

[DusterBuster]

I mean there is no way any other team offers him any major contract, he has more injury concerns than the vast majority of players in the NBA.

I still think he has great potential but he needs to stay relatively healthy for 2 seasons to really show it.

I'm just not sure what potential you guys are still seeing. He played solid defense for like half a season once and didn't dribble the ball off his knee like Meyers did. The bar was set so low, that I think people really overvalue what his potential really was. And that's all but gone at this point considering he legit cannot stay healthy. Staying relatively healthy for 2 seasons is a pipe-dream, you'll be lucky to ever see 1 season I bet.

I mean his defense was reasonable, but you are completely dismissing his fairly effective shooting. He was a more ideal Meyers Leonard in my view, kinda like a rich man's Meyers Leonard.

More ideal than Leonard - fine - that still doesn't make him good. A "rich man's Meyers Leonard" (which he's not - I'd argue neither guy is much better than the other) is still not a player I want on the Blazers.

[DeBlazerRiddem]

Injuries are part of the game, unless there was a red flag during the draft you are always rolling the dice while drafting a player. Also if you follow a team closely you know and remember the failures much better. I would bet our perception of our injury woes is a tad exaggerated due to observation bias.


That said, while it's hard to analyze individual picks IMHO, on a broader and statistical level you can see a teams performance compared to other teams and Portland is just not very good in the first round.

[Case2012]

That did not age well.

[Epicurus]

An overreach draft night; now just a sad story. Now the need for a productive 4/5 is even more pronounced, although it was present for the last two years (and ignored by Olshey). Maybe Giles will step up, but that's doubtful. Without a tall forward to team with Kanter (and to be used in some situations instead of Kanter), an early move is to get rid of Kanter. Olshey just failed badly at building a balance roster. It is like he believes his imagination regarding players trumps reality.

[Wizenheimer]

I mean there is no way any other team offers him any major contract, he has more injury concerns than the vast majority of players in the NBA.

I still think he has great potential but he needs to stay relatively healthy for 2 seasons to really show it.

I'm just not sure what potential you guys are still seeing. He played solid defense for like half a season once and didn't dribble the ball off his knee like Meyers did. The bar was set so low, that I think people really overvalue what his potential really was. And that's all but gone at this point considering he legit cannot stay healthy. Staying relatively healthy for 2 seasons is a pipe-dream, you'll be lucky to ever see 1 season I bet.

I mean his defense was reasonable, but you are completely dismissing his fairly effective shooting. He was a more ideal Meyers Leonard in my view, kinda like a rich man's Meyers Leonard.

career numbers:

PER: Meyers 12.0....Zach 10.8
2ptFG%: Meyers .549....Zach .504
3ptFG%: Meyers .390....Zach .324
FT%: Meyers .809....Zach .722
eFG%: Meyers .564....Zach .498
TS%: Meyers .588....Zach .528
Reb%: Meyers 13.3%....Zach 12.2%
Blk%: Meyers 1.4%....Zach 3.1%
Ast%: Meyers 8.1%....Zach 7.1%
winshares/48: Meyers .104....Zach .069
BoxPM: Meyers -1.4....Zach -2.6

Meyers is a better shooter in every single metric, and the gaps are all large. He is also a better rebounder than Zach; and he has a higher assist rate and lower turnover rate. Meyer has an advantage in every metric except shot-blocking. Zach is a better overall defender, but Meyers was hard to move when in the paint; Zach was re-directed easily because he isn't as strong and is much lighter

they are similar in one fashion: Meyers kept getting overrated because of 'potential' till it became obvious, to everybody but Olshey, sometime in his 4th season that all that potential was a mirage. Zach is at the stage where he's being rated on potential, but I'd say his potential is a mirage too, especially now with the injuries

I can't get over that 2017 draft. Portland could have had Donovan Mitchell and Dillon Brooks; or Bam Adebayo and Dillon Brooks; or John Collins, OG Anunoby, and Thomas Bryant/Dillon Brooks. Instead they got Zach and Swanigan.....yeeeeeesh

I had a hard time not writing about those two players in the past tense.

[Wizenheimer]

Read on Twitter

that's not good news at all. There's something seriously wrong with that leg

[Epicurus]

You look at those various combinaations from the 2017 draft, as listed by Wiz., rather than Zac and Caleb, and one sees why Portland has not been in the second or third round more since then. What a blunder!!!

[Norm2953]

It's in everyone's best interest to offer him a minimal contract with a team option for a second year.

[DusterBuster]

It's in everyone's best interest to offer him a minimal contract with a team option for a second year.

It’s definitely in Zach’s best interest so he can keep collecting an NBA contract… not sure how it’s in anyone else’s best interest.

Cut ties and move on… yeesh…

[DusterBuster]

You look at those various combinaations from the 2017 draft, as listed by Wiz., rather than Zac and Caleb, and one sees why Portland has not been in the second or third round more since then. What a blunder!!!

Keep in mind, Portland had 2 first rounders that year… 15 and 20 before they traded up to get Zach at 10. There were so many misses that draft by Olshey… woof

[Roy The Natural]

It's in everyone's best interest to offer him a minimal contract with a team option for a second year.

It’s definitely in Zach’s best interest so he can keep collecting an NBA contract… not sure how it’s in anyone else’s best interest.

Cut ties and move on… yeesh…

Yea... I'm a Zach supporter... or at least was. If it is believed that he is only going to be out for 3-6 months after this surgery and he's willing to come back on a straight up minimum contract... then sure I guess... however, Idk. He feels cooked. Complete bummer.

[Norm2953]

Stranger things have happened but a minimal contract with a team option preserves Portland's
rights while allowing Zach to once again rehab. Cutting their ties doesn't save much money

[DusterBuster]

Stranger things have happened but a minimal contract with a team option preserves Portland's
rights while allowing Zach to once again rehab. Cutting their ties doesn't save much money

It’s not about saving money, it’s about not wasting a roster spot. Who cares about his team option?

[Wizenheimer]

any thought of signing Zach to a 'show-me' 2nd contract would depend on his realistic chance at returning next season. He had the 2nd revision surgery over 6 months ago, and reportedly, a couple of weeks ago he wasn't close to returning to any meaningful practice or workouts.

after a 3rd surgery and 2nd revision of the same injury, is there much reason to think he'd return even by he all-star break next season, about 8 months from now? Like Duster is saying, why use up a roster spot on a long-shot like that?

[monopoman]

I'm just not sure what potential you guys are still seeing. He played solid defense for like half a season once and didn't dribble the ball off his knee like Meyers did. The bar was set so low, that I think people really overvalue what his potential really was. And that's all but gone at this point considering he legit cannot stay healthy. Staying relatively healthy for 2 seasons is a pipe-dream, you'll be lucky to ever see 1 season I bet.

I mean his defense was reasonable, but you are completely dismissing his fairly effective shooting. He was a more ideal Meyers Leonard in my view, kinda like a rich man's Meyers Leonard.

career numbers:

PER: Meyers 12.0....Zach 10.8
2ptFG%: Meyers .549....Zach .504
3ptFG%: Meyers .390....Zach .324
FT%: Meyers .809....Zach .722
eFG%: Meyers .564....Zach .498
TS%: Meyers .588....Zach .528
Reb%: Meyers 13.3%....Zach 12.2%
Blk%: Meyers 1.4%....Zach 3.1%
Ast%: Meyers 8.1%....Zach 7.1%
winshares/48: Meyers .104....Zach .069
BoxPM: Meyers -1.4....Zach -2.6

Meyers is a better shooter in every single metric, and the gaps are all large. He is also a better rebounder than Zach; and he has a higher assist rate and lower turnover rate. Meyer has an advantage in every metric except shot-blocking. Zach is a better overall defender, but Meyers was hard to move when in the paint; Zach was re-directed easily because he isn't as strong and is much lighter

they are similar in one fashion: Meyers kept getting overrated because of 'potential' till it became obvious, to everybody but Olshey, sometime in his 4th season that all that potential was a mirage. Zach is at the stage where he's being rated on potential, but I'd say his potential is a mirage too, especially now with the injuries

I can't get over that 2017 draft. Portland could have had Donovan Mitchell and Dillon Brooks; or Bam Adebayo and Dillon Brooks; or John Collins, OG Anunoby, and Thomas Bryant/Dillon Brooks. Instead they got Zach and Swanigan.....yeeeeeesh

I had a hard time not writing about those two players in the past tense.

I mean to be fair Meyers had a lot more time to show off what he could do, we never got to see a ZC with 3-4 years of solid minutes under his belt. It's basically like comparing current Lillard to 22-23 year old Lillard and talking about how much better current Lillard is and that 22-23 Lillard had no chance of being that.

I'm not saying ZC would become this super great player but a solid starter or something I think was clearly within his range and he pairs VERY well with Nurkic.

[Norm2953]

Stranger things have happened but a minimal contract with a team option preserves Portland's
rights while allowing Zach to once again rehab. Cutting their ties doesn't save much money

It’s not about saving money, it’s about not wasting a roster spot. Who cares about his team option?

Portland spent a roster spot last season on Dame's cousin. Teams can carry 17 players if they want to and can
carry Zach just in case he makes it back in 2022.

[Sinobas]

Cut him. His career is over. I will admit I was very excited when we got him. But jesus, we could have had Mitchell and Kuzma/Hart and ended up with Collins and Swanigan. Hell, I'd be happy if we had Luke Kennard instead of Collins.

[DusterBuster]

Stranger things have happened but a minimal contract with a team option preserves Portland's
rights while allowing Zach to once again rehab. Cutting their ties doesn't save much money

It’s not about saving money, it’s about not wasting a roster spot. Who cares about his team option?

Portland spent a roster spot last season on Dame's cousin. Teams can carry 17 players if they want to and can
carry Zach just in case he makes it back in 2022.

They aren’t going to put Collins on a 2-way deal. 2 way players are glorified g-league guys.

[GEE]

No person here could have predicted how chronic his injury has been. PERIOD. So to say he was the wrong pick is a weak-ass argument to make IMO. He's been good, talent-wise, when he's been on the floor... but that's the issue... he just hasn't been able to get right, and hasn't been able play.

I'm no Doctor, but the history repeating isn't a good sign. I think the wise approach is to sadly, "move on". Not get rid of him, or trade him for the bag of chips he's worth... but just move on. He's no longer a player that can be relied on to make an impact.

$7 Million, no friggin way. $1-2 Million... sure, if you fire the current Doctor and the towel-waving arm is ok. Maybe some improved dancing as well to really earn it. 15th Man... Can't care anymore. Just Sucks.

[Wizenheimer]

No person here could have predicted how chronic his injury has been. PERIOD. So to say he was the wrong pick is a weak-ass argument to make IMO. He's been good, talent-wise, when he's been on the floor... but that's the issue... he just hasn't been able to get right, and hasn't been able play. .

even healthy, he's not anywhere close to as good as Mitchell, Adebayo, John Collins, and others taken after him. Not only that, he's a tweener and better as a C than a PF. He has a PER of 10.8 when the NBA average is 15.0; he has a TS% of .528 when the NBA average is approaching .560. Among his draft class, he ranks 20th in FG%; 33rd in 3ptFG%; 31st in points/game; 15th in rebounds/game; 24th in winshares; 23rd in winshares/48; and 26th in BPM

he would have been a weak pick at 20; he was a disastrous pick at 10