Zach Collins Out Indefinitely w/ Revision Surgery on Previous Injury

[HoopsFanAZ]

And bumped up because of ...

The report of Collins not playing in the regular season with an unlikely maybe for beyond the first round in the playoffs ... and heading into free agency.

Using his Bird Rights (since he's not getting a multi-year at full MLE from anyone), do a one-year deal on a make-good-stay-healthy contract. Somewhere near his QO amount at the highest ($7.3 MM). (1) If he actually stays healthy, go Bird Rights into a potentially larger/longer contract, or (2) trade him as part of a package deal where another team gets ZCEC (expiring contract) but can use the Bird Rights to re-sign him the following year.

If he is signed for a year at the minimum, that doesn't help make up dollars as filler in a package deal. Gotta have contracts to make big dollar trades. Rodney Hood Part Two. (3) At worst, he's employee #15 for a year or the Blazers can include a buy-out due to injury.

[BlazersBroncos]

Zach isnt going to be a minimum level player. Some team will rightfully see he has potential and see a high upside guy. Room MLE is the lowest I see him going for.

I think OKC would be a great fit for him. They let their young guys make mistakes as long as they play hard. Its a great situation for Zach, and he can play his natural fit at C. I dont think I would stay in PDX if I were him should the assumption be he gets penciled in at PF.

[Norm2953]

Zach even after all of this is not going to be a minimum level player.

Likely Portland will have some idea of what his market would be and if his perceived market price is
around the MLE, they could give him a qualifying offer since as far as we all know, NO is still Portland's
GM.

[Epicurus]

It haas been front office malfeasance for not adding a playable big to replace Collins this season on the court. Giles was on the squad prior to the understanding the Collins would be useless for the season. Thus we have been down one big for the season on the whole. It is a shame that Giles was not ready to take Collins' place, but when it was determined he wasn't, why no Collins replacement? Why instead a season long open slot or Lillard's cousin? Why not even Leaf much earlier?

[HoopsFanAZ]

It haas been front office malfeasance for not adding a playable big to replace Collins this season on the court. Giles was on the squad prior to the understanding the Collins would be useless for the season. Thus we have been down one big for the season on the whole. It is a shame that Giles was not ready to take Collins' place, but when it was determined he wasn't, why no Collins replacement? Why instead a season long open slot or Lillard's cousin? Why not even Leaf much earlier?

I love the Powell trade, but Epicurus is spot on that failure to get a PF who can D up and play (or good size SF/PF or PF/C) is malfeasance. When I see Kanter, Melo and CJ on the court at the same time, hope fades.

[Norm2953]

Portland simply was determined to not going into LT territory this season, regardless of the product
on the court. With the collapse of the Blazers going down the stretch, wholesale changes are going to
be made starting with the HC and hopefully Neal Olshey.

[d-train]

I don't see any collapse. Our recent losses are not a disaster. These losses will help us play better when the games matter more. The Blazers are playing better now than at any other time this season. We lost some close games and haven't shot well. I expect the shooting to normalize and the improvement to continue. If things continue go well, we will peak at the best time. I don't know if peaking when the playoffs start will be enough, but we will see.

Blazers can go either way this summer. So far, I expect them to invest big to keep our key players. I will be surprised if Olshey blows it up anytime soon, we will soon see.

[GEE]

There is no doubt in my mind that Collins' misfortunes due to injury are the main reason our defense sucks as much as it does. But my view is that he was our starting PF going into the season. Melo was said to be his b/u, and I imagine Giles was 3rd string for PF & C. Furthermore, I believe ROCO is not best used as our starting PF, but ideally would be our SF for years to come. That would have easily made us top 15 in defense, and wouldn't have hurt us offensively, as long as ROCO's 3pt% was what we thought it could be. Jones Jr. I imagine was to be his b/u.

I think that's a fair, setting of the table... but then we get hit with Collins' injury. Oh no, what to do? This is where my frustrations with Stotts, truly begin.

Instead of sticking with the PF rotation of: Collins / Melo / Giles, Stotts immediately makes the move to go small, by moving ROCO to the starting PF. I think this is the big mistake. If Collins can't go, it's next man up IMO, and that man is Melo, as he was the pre-injury b/u PF. If Melo isn't up to the task, then it should be Giles and/or start looking at roster change via trade, or a 10-day, or a two-way.

Olshey allowed Stotts to do his usual small-ball tinkering/experimenting with the roster, and to double down on small ball by making the dumb trade that he did, moving GTJ and Hood, who provided great size and depth for our bench, for a player that makes us smaller and does nothing to address the loss of Collins.

Water under the bridge... we have a few more weeks to get it together, and it seems to me that Stotts is trying to play a winning style, while Dame is conflicted by it, as it interferes with his MVP dreams. Ideally, but unlikely, Collins gets cleared to play in the next week, and we see him play 8-10 good minutes of basketball very soon. That would go a long way IMO, but then, what if Collins magically looks good by playoffs, and was ready to start..... do we then still start a 3 guard rotation???

If Collins can't find a Dr. to get him ready and able, then I would definitely start a ROCO/Melo forward combo, with Jones Jr, Little(who ain't so little) and Giles(has shown he can ball) ready to provide depth at SF & PF.

Bosnain Beast & Turkish Warrior have the C locked down. So for Crist sake, for 1000th time, just rotate Dame, CJ and Powell for 95% of the PG & SG minutes, + 5% of Simons. It's not that hard.

RIP CITY

[Epicurus]

As one who believes very strongly in the more conventional sizing of a PF, I am at a loss to understand why using Covington there instead of Anthony (as starter) is a grevious sin. Neither is a true PF. Covington with Jones or with Powell is better than Anthony with Covington (except for the one out of three times the Good Melo plays). Personally I would have tried Giles long before using ANthony, but I am not privy to all the information that goes into lineup creation.

[Norm2953]

A healthy ZC is more likely a 5 in Portland's system but he's going to be an interesting player to
follow this summer in free agency. Knowing NO, Portland may still give him a qualifying offer but
its clear changes will be made after the team falls into the playin games for if they are the 7 seed
and their opponent is the GSW, one can easily see Steph carrying the GSW to two wins.

[JasonStern]

If the choice is Norm or Collins/DJJ/filler, you have to take Norm 10 times out of 10 regardless of fit.

[Wizenheimer]

Zach's defensive ability has become as overrated as Trent's

[HoopsFanAZ]

Zach's defensive ability has become as overrated as Trent's

You may be right. I hope not.
Trent can become a good defender (not great) given he's got a motor ... activity not being accomplishment. Collins may have the edge on ceiling if he ever gets back on the court. He likes mixing it up. Both have a ton of work to do. Collins' D is edging towards urban myth status.

[BlazersBroncos]

Collins is overrated as a defender, but not nearly as much as GTJ was.

Trent gets points from the eye test because he gets really low and pulls his shorts up like he means business on defense. But in reality he got cooked a ton.