Most Improved Defensive Player - Collins?

[pmanzano]

Saw a really interesting conversation on Halftime (https://halftime.app.link/ball) the other day and thought I'd bring it up here since they mentioned Collins..

Which player do you think will be the most improved defensive player of the year for this coming season? Who do you think will really step it up on that end?

I’m going to throw out a few names who I think could win this award this year, and why..

Jusuf Nurkic: Being further removed from his broken leg and having Robert Covington alongside him should help get the best out of him. I think he’ll greatly improve as the anchor in Portland

DeAndre Ayton: He made big strides last year, and I think he could put it all together this year with CP3 pushing him and a more well-rounded roster around him.

John Collins: Capela’s presence should take some pressure off him, and Collins is fighting to prove he is more than just an efficient scorer in a contract year. Stepping up defensively would greatly improve his value.

De’Aaron Fox: After getting paid, it’s time for Fox to take the next step. This is his team, and I could see him growing into a dog on the defensive end of the floor.

Wendell Carter Jr.: If he can stay healthy, he has all the ability to become the anchor this young team needs defensively. The Billy Donovan hiring should help, as well as getting Otto Porter back and drafting Patrick Williams to make his life easier in the front-court.

Who do you think would win this hypothetical award?

Think Collins will step up defensively?

[hawks_fan25]

Defense tends to be contagious within a team. Hopefully, he'll see Cap and OO making some good plays as well as the guards not giving free drives to the lane and allow him to just play and not think.

I'm sure he will pick up on some things from Cap and Trae will pick up on some things from RR and Dunn, but I still question a little about their real desire to improve there. They are saying the right things, which is a good start, but they have to put in all the effort in practice in order to improve.

I do have hopes that the team defense in general will improve with the veteran and rookie additions. I mean, it can't really get worse from last year.

[jayu70]

Saw a really interesting conversation on Halftime (https://halftime.app.link/ball) the other day and thought I'd bring it up here since they mentioned Collins..

Which player do you think will be the most improved defensive player of the year for this coming season? Who do you think will really step it up on that end?

I’m going to throw out a few names who I think could win this award this year, and why..

Jusuf Nurkic: Being further removed from his broken leg and having Robert Covington alongside him should help get the best out of him. I think he’ll greatly improve as the anchor in Portland

DeAndre Ayton: He made big strides last year, and I think he could put it all together this year with CP3 pushing him and a more well-rounded roster around him.

John Collins: Capela’s presence should take some pressure off him, and Collins is fighting to prove he is more than just an efficient scorer in a contract year. Stepping up defensively would greatly improve his value.

De’Aaron Fox: After getting paid, it’s time for Fox to take the next step. This is his team, and I could see him growing into a dog on the defensive end of the floor.

Wendell Carter Jr.: If he can stay healthy, he has all the ability to become the anchor this young team needs defensively. The Billy Donovan hiring should help, as well as getting Otto Porter back and drafting Patrick Williams to make his life easier in the front-court.

Who do you think would win this hypothetical award?

Think Collins will step up defensively?

He has shown defensive improvement each year in the league (granted the overall team defense was bad). He is a hard worker and he has talked at length about being in shape and staying engaged to be even better.

Collins says he is "trying to be more present" on defense and he's trying to cut out "mental lapses."
"It's a big emphasis of mine"
Also indicates that Pierce has challenged him to take the next step on defense this season.

[pmanzano]

Defense tends to be contagious within a team. Hopefully, he'll see Cap and OO making some good plays as well as the guards not giving free drives to the lane and allow him to just play and not think.

I'm sure he will pick up on some things from Cap and Trae will pick up on some things from RR and Dunn, but I still question a little about their real desire to improve there. They are saying the right things, which is a good start, but they have to put in all the effort in practice in order to improve.

I do have hopes that the team defense in general will improve with the veteran and rookie additions. I mean, it can't really get worse from last year.

Yeah I feel you. The vet additions are major though. Really hoping Collins and Trae can lean in even more and commit on that end. Like you said, it's contagious. Just looking up and down the roster -- they should be a defensive powerhouse. So much raw talent and athleticism.

[pmanzano]

Saw a really interesting conversation on Halftime (https://halftime.app.link/ball) the other day and thought I'd bring it up here since they mentioned Collins..

Which player do you think will be the most improved defensive player of the year for this coming season? Who do you think will really step it up on that end?

I’m going to throw out a few names who I think could win this award this year, and why..

Jusuf Nurkic: Being further removed from his broken leg and having Robert Covington alongside him should help get the best out of him. I think he’ll greatly improve as the anchor in Portland

DeAndre Ayton: He made big strides last year, and I think he could put it all together this year with CP3 pushing him and a more well-rounded roster around him.

John Collins: Capela’s presence should take some pressure off him, and Collins is fighting to prove he is more than just an efficient scorer in a contract year. Stepping up defensively would greatly improve his value.

De’Aaron Fox: After getting paid, it’s time for Fox to take the next step. This is his team, and I could see him growing into a dog on the defensive end of the floor.

Wendell Carter Jr.: If he can stay healthy, he has all the ability to become the anchor this young team needs defensively. The Billy Donovan hiring should help, as well as getting Otto Porter back and drafting Patrick Williams to make his life easier in the front-court.

Who do you think would win this hypothetical award?

Think Collins will step up defensively?

He has shown defensive improvement each year in the league (granted the overall team defense was bad). He is a hard worker and he has talked at length about being in shape and staying engaged to be even better.

Collins says he is "trying to be more present" on defense and he's trying to cut out "mental lapses."
"It's a big emphasis of mine"
Also indicates that Pierce has challenged him to take the next step on defense this season.

Really glad it's been a point of emphasis. Hoping these young guys can put it all together. It's definitely gonna be a weird season. So many built-in excuses haha.

Excited nonetheless!

[jayu70]

Saw a really interesting conversation on Halftime (https://halftime.app.link/ball) the other day and thought I'd bring it up here since they mentioned Collins..



Think Collins will step up defensively?

He has shown defensive improvement each year in the league (granted the overall team defense was bad). He is a hard worker and he has talked at length about being in shape and staying engaged to be even better.

Collins says he is "trying to be more present" on defense and he's trying to cut out "mental lapses."
"It's a big emphasis of mine"
Also indicates that Pierce has challenged him to take the next step on defense this season.

Really glad it's been a point of emphasis. Hoping these young guys can put it all together. It's definitely gonna be a weird season. So many built-in excuses haha.

Excited nonetheless!

Good on paper, just needs to put it into action. Like you said this will be a weird year, but I'm here for it...all of it. JC is very aware, this from yesterday:

Read on Twitter

when you compare what he had to practice against the last 2 years....bleh.

[Mike87]

Great to see and agree the addition of Capela will help a lot for JC. Also going against Gallo in practice as the post above me says has to help. He even seemed a little better last year, though we only got to see him in 41 games.

[pmanzano]

Great to see and agree the addition of Capela will help a lot for JC. Also going against Gallo in practice as the post above me says has to help. He even seemed a little better last year, though we only got to see him in 41 games.

For sure. I think this might be a big year for him with all that vet leadership to learn from -- and hold people accountable, like you mentioned. That's such a huge piece for winning squads.

[pmanzano]

when you compare what he had to practice against the last 2 years....bleh.

haha -- truue. Better competition day in / day out has to make you improve. Can't wait.

[Jamaaliver]

Collins’ continued defensive growth, mainly showing more of an ability to prove he effectively can guard on the perimeter would elevate his value for this franchise and only add to his case for being a max player.

“The defensive end is all effort,” Collins said. “I feel like that’s where the challenge is that I want to take. The coaches are challenging me to be more physical in certain spots and to be early (to those spots), to be vocal and to be a leader. Those are the things I can do.”

Collins took a positive step forward defensively last season. The Hawks were 2.6 points better defensively with Collins on the floor, and that was particularly evidenced by him becoming a much better rim protector than what he showed for most of his second season.

Now he has Clint Capela as his frontcourt partner, a considerably better defender than what Collins was working with all of last season. Collins should only continue improving on this end of the floor because of the better talent around him, which in turn should improve what was, collectively, a horrible defensive team.

The Athletic