Guard Darren Collison is mulling a February return to the NBA and would prefer to play with either the Lakers or Clippers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
Collison retired after last season for religious reasons.
Collision was projected to get offers in the $8-10MM range in free agency over the summer, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Both Los Angeles teams have full rosters and would need to shed a player to sign the veteran point man. Either team could ink him for the prorated minimum and the Lakers also have a $1.75MM Disabled Player Exception which expires on March 10, Marks adds (Twitter link).
Collison averaged 11.2 PPG and 6.0 APG for Indiana last season. He’s averaged 12.5 PPG and 5.0 APG in 29.4 MPG over 708 career regular-season games.
Collison chose to retire in order to devote more time to his Jehovah’s Witness ministry and spend more time with his family. He was also working with Pro’s Vision, a training company that works primarily with young athletes.
The Lakers have a crowd at point guard, though no standout. That group includes Alex Caruso, Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley. The Clippers also have a number of point options, including Patrick Beverley, Lou Williams, Terance Mann and Derrick Walton Jr.
Lakers would be good considering Collison is kinda like pat Beverley
From JW to PG in LA.
Id drop bradley in a heart beat, would also drop rondo too if it meant netting collison. Solid player that would play well off lebron and ad. Id also be interested if they could cut dudley since he really offers nothing but a seat on the bench.
Problem with this is AB and RR have played just fine; with AC in tow.
My belief would be to trade/move Cook; as his minutes are limited.
Its unfortunate, but if they made a move for Collison, that’s how I would see it
Not Bradley and rondo! I would cut Jared Dudley in a heart beat!
Thank you! Dudley looks flabby and sick. Like Larry holmes vs Tyson .
Classic Pac!
When will he realize, that basketball IS a religion
Amen !!
Collison would be good for either teams. Clipper could do with a back up for Beverly and someone to help in that second unit. Lakers could just do with a PG that can step it up, Rondo can shoot but does everything else well, Bradley is inconsistent, and so on.
Also worth noting he did play for the Clippers so maybe they have an inside edge and he would be easier to bring into the system having already played under Doc Rivers and that team plus also having played with Paul George on the Pacers for multiple years
Alternatively he could also be handy for Blazers or Rockets as a back up PG.
He’d be perfect for the Rockets, and they could pay him even more than either LA team. Houston has a $3.6M trade exception they could use.
Really disappointing when people lacks the courage of their convictions!!!
Do you mean religion or $$$?
“Yo, so I am not THAT religious”
Lmao this is hilarious
Bizarre, short-sighted behavior by Collison. He only has a few more b-ball years left. He has 40+ years to devote to other stuff. He saw the light!
Collison is a nice backup option but had he really got a 3 year deal in that range it would be another Thaddeus Young/Dedmon instant buyers remorse.
It wouldn’t have been a terrible deal by any means. How many teams have a backup PG that can average close to 10-12 PPG, with around 4 or 5 APG, while shooting better than 39% from 3-point range and playing solid defense as well? There are lots of players out there making at least $8M-$10M/year that don’t put up stats that good.
Or maybe even a Batum/Parsons/Bazemore/Tyler Johnson/Evan Turner/Crabbe/Reggie Jackson/Biyumbo/Brandon Knight/Mahinmi/James Johnson/Marvin Williams/Bobby Portis/Cody Zeller/ kind of remorse. Since all those guys make more than Young and Dedmon.
Those dudes are in a differential stratosphere of bad deals.
Told you this would happen when he announced his retirement this summer.
Jehovahs Witnesses is such an unfulfilling Works based religion that there’s no way he gives up basketball for it, at least not for long.
Yeah those religions that make you actually do something are really a pain…thanks for pointing this out!
Wrong motives. Take a class or something before you speak.
You don’t need religion to do anything. That’s an excuse.
Make more money in the NBA and Collison could donate additional millions to charity. That would be far more impactful.
Absolutely agree with you.
Well, with all that door-to-door walking, he’s probably still in decent shape.
The ones in GA ride bikes…I feel sorry for then during the summer with all that hot stuff on../:
Regardless, it sounds like DC just didn’t want to play for a full season, so figured he’d come in half way and assure himself a spot on a contender.. Less money, but I still think it was a smart play for him.
Dudley offers little to nothing, so he’d for sure be the leading candidate to get canned if the Lakers sign DC.
What a surprise, Collison wants back in the NBA, sarcasm.
Now he can choose his team better.
—When religion is bad karma—
He was also teammates with Russell Westbrook at UCLA for two seasons. He would be a perfect fit in Houston with his great 3-point shooting.
I personally think the Lakers need to go after a offensive spark off the bench. They have a solid defensive group but landing someone like Rose would be amazing for the team. Hope they can do something like that!
This is almost done.Remember this,Darren is a Klutch Sports member.
The Lakers need him more, but, for that reason and that he can help them too, the Clippers will want him just as bad. I believe he played for both coaches.
I think Indiana still has his rights, and might be able to do a S&T to get him a real contract ($$-wise) if he cares.