John Collins scores six points in Pistons debut

Jalen Duren’s hamstring injury wouldn’t affect Collins’ place in the Pistons’ starting lineup. However, the All-Star center’s absence meant Collins would sometimes be the biggest Piston on the floor. Philadelphia didn’t have Joel Embiid on Sunday, which made the paint a bit more manageable for Detroit. But that shouldn’t take away from Collins’ double-double and blocked shots. Collins is already rostered in 80 percent of Yahoo leagues, and the Duren injury raises his fantasy ceiling.

Collins had a quiet debut with six points in the win over the Celtics on Tuesday, but he was excellent in the win over the Heat on Friday. The 29-year-old power forward was 9-of-15 from the field, including 5-of-6 from behind the three-point line. Jalen Duren (thigh) left with an injury in the second quarter and didn’t return, which likely led to more opportunities for Collins. With Duren’s status still up in the air, Collins could be in line for more usage again on Sunday against the 76ers.

Duren is still embroiled in contract negotiations after turning down a $200 million deal from Detroit, and he could be headed toward signing a $9.6 million qualifying offer. The deadline to sign the qualifying offer is Thursday, and if Duren pursues that option, he would become an unrestricted free agent next summer. Sacramento has been linked to Duren as a team that would potentially pay him what he wants, but he could entertain offers from other suitors. John Collins is an interesting later-round flier in standard leagues, and Paul Reed makes a fine pick in deeper leagues.

After missing out on some of the big names to begin the offseason, the Pistons have finally made a significant move. Collins is set to turn 29 in September. He’s a nine-year NBA veteran and was a first-round pick by the Hawks in the 2017 NBA Draft. Collins has averaged 15.7 points and 7.7 rebounds in his career. Two years ago with the Jazz, he averaged 19.0 points and 8.2 assists. Collins figures to be the Pistons’ new starting power forward with Tobias Harris not expected to return and should benefit as a lob threat playing alongside Cade Cunningham.

Jackson has been out since spraining his ankle during a March 27 win over the Pacers, leaving the Clippers without a legitimate backup center. John Collins has filled the void in Jackson’s absence and would continue to do so if he can’t return for Wednesday’s Play-In Tournament game against the Warriors.

With no Kawhi Leonard (ankle), Collins returned to the Clippers’ starting lineup after coming off the bench in three of the previous four games. He finished one rebound shy of a double-double against the Warriors, but Collins produced nothing else in his 21 minutes on the floor. Leonard will be available for Wednesday’s rematch with the Warriors, which would relegate Collins to the backup center role he’s been asked to assume since Isaiah Jackson went down.

The Clippers will need the Kings to beat the Trail Blazers to have a chance a the No. 8 seed in the West, so they’ll prioritize extra rest for Leonard. John Collins should take on extra minutes with Leonard sidelined. This puts them on track to play the Warriors again on Wednesday in a win-or-go-home matchup.

Leonard is on the injury report with a left ankle sprain, initially sustained in late March. The Clippers will need help to secure the No. 8 seed in the West after Friday’s loss to the Trail Blazers. If Leonard can’t play on Sunday, John Collins’ playing time is likely to increase after logging 18 minutes in Portland.

Garland did not play in Wednesday’s loss to the Thunder, as it was the Clippers’ second game in as many nights. His return will push John Collins to the bench. Collins has moved to the bench to help the Clippers account for the lack of options behind starting center Brook Lopez.

Collins started on Wednesday for the injured Darius Garland to give the Clippers a bigger opening unit. He did solid work on the glass and was decent as a scorer in his 27 minutes, ultimately falling just short of a double-double. Collins has had an up-and-down season with the Clippers, with highs and lows coming in bunches. Whether or not he remains in the starting unit once Garland returns remains to be seen. He and the Clippers face the Trail Blazers on Friday in a game that could determine which team gets the Western Conference’s eighth seed and two guaranteed chances in the Play-In Tournament to advance.