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  4. title => "Life without Ed Davis: How has Zach Collins filled in this year?"
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  6. article_body => "<p><strong>This is the second&nbsp;of a three part All-Star Break feature series.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Read part 1&nbsp;of this feature series on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/northwest\/portland-trail-blazers\/zach-collins-sophomore-slump\">whether Zach Collins has hit his&nbsp;sophomore slump<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Portland Trail Blazers fans were upset when GM Neil Olshey didn\u2019t match the Brooklyn Nets\u2019 offer for Ed Davis back in July of 2018. Davis, a fan favorite, was an integral defensive and rebounding presence on a team that lacked both. The move felt like a headscratcher at the time, particularly considering the measly $4.4 million Davis commanded from Brooklyn. He would have cost the Blazers more than that thanks to their cap situation, but the sentiment held \u2014 Rip City wanted Davis back.<\/p>\n<p>Talk from Olshey turned to how he was sure that Zach Collins, hot off an impressive rookie season, could fill the shoes left by Davis. That raised some eyebrows, especially considering how bumpy the development of some big men can be. Progression isn\u2019t linear, and the worry was that Collins could hurt Portland\u2019s chances in the playoffs if he didn\u2019t meet the task.<\/p>\n<p>At this juncture in the season, Collins remains one of the more interesting storylines on the Blazers. His progression has indeed seen some peaks and valleys, although <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/northwest\/portland-trail-blazers\/zach-collins-sophomore-slump\">I\u2019m not entirely sold on his being in the midst of a sophomore slump<\/a>. Collins has played well, albeit with his incredible October setting expectations for him too high.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile Davis is having another great year for Brooklyn, continuing his impressive marks in offensive rebounding percentage, PER, and true shooting percentage.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>So, the question looms \u2014 has Collins filled the role left by Davis?<\/p>\n<p>To start, it\u2019s important to understand how the Blazers have used these players differently. Olshey\u2019s big sell this summer was that Portland wanted more shooting out of the minutes provided by Davis. To that end, Collins has been a bit streaky, particularly when it comes to the 3-point line. However, when Collins has shot the ball well from deep, his offensive rating has skyrocketed.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the primary difference in terms of understanding comparative statistics between Davis and Collins. Last season in Portland, Davis was a better player from both an offensive and defensive rating perspective compared to Collins\u2019 marks this year. However, their relative value over a replacement-level player is quite similar, as is their PER.<\/p>\n<p>Collins\u2019 3-point shot is the biggest reason for this unbalanced set of statistics between the two. While it\u2019s true that Collins has been up-and-down from month-to-month from deep, Davis has a range of five feet. That not only impacts how they score individually, but how they change the spacing of an offense as well.<\/p>\n<p>To that end, Collins has done exactly what Olshey talked about. The Blazers were a team who, in 2017-18, were 11th in 3-point percentage and 16th in made threes per-game. That wasn\u2019t enough for a squad who didn\u2019t have a player down low in the role Jusuf Nurkic has had this season. For a team led by high-scoring, 3-point shooting guards, the Blazers weren\u2019t good enough behind the arc.<\/p>\n<p>Collins\u2019 ability to stretch the floor also changed how Portland enacted their offense from a gravity perspective. Opposing teams now stay closer to him at the arc than before, and even a half step forward in the NBA can change not just passing angles to and from Collins, but how secondary assists flow through him in kind of a butterfly effect.<\/p>\n<p>Where Davis still reigns supreme is on the defensive side of the floor and on the glass, where the current Net bests the young Blazer. It would be too much credit to say the Portland front office saw this season\u2019s offensive onslaught coming up behind them in their rearview mirror, but given this team\u2019s flaws on offense, those kinds of secondary opportunities were in fact less valuable than they would be for another team.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s really what\u2019s at the core of this Davis vs. Collins comparison, and for that I do have to give Olshey credit. There\u2019s no doubt that both Davis and Collins had good seasons last year, and I still maintain Davis is the better overall NBA player. But context matters in the NBA, and the simple fact is that if Collins was going to continue to develop into a floor-spacing defensive presence, he fit better than Davis ever would.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Because of the nature of the market and summer free agency, Blazers fans like to harp on Olshey for not being a risk taker. Ditching Davis in the face of a luxury tax bill felt a bit too heavy on the accounting side in July. But Olshey did take a risk in choosing Collins over Davis, one that would have fans clawing at his front door if Collins had regressed to start the season.<\/p>\n<p>Davis was a true fan favorite, a man in the vein of Brian Grant or Andre Miller. For that, Oregon will always love him. But what Portland tries to do on offense and defense is tilted in favor of Collins\u2019 skillset over Davis, and a fair comparison doesn\u2019t exist between the two because of Collins\u2019 better contextual fit with this team. Yes, Collins took the minutes left by Davis when he left for Brooklyn. But he\u2019s more of an upgrade on potential than a replacement.<\/p>\n<p>Well, as long as he keeps producing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read part 3&nbsp;of this feature series on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/northwest\/portland-trail-blazers\/life-without-ed-davis-how-has-zach-collins-filled-year\">Life without Ed Davis: How Zach Collins has filled in this year.&nbsp;<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n"
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Portland Trail Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers

This is the second of a three part All-Star Break feature series. 

Read part 1 of this feature series on whether Zach Collins has hit his sophomore slump. 

Portland Trail Blazers fans were upset when GM Neil Olshey didn’t match the Brooklyn Nets’ offer for Ed Davis back in July of 2018. Davis, a fan favorite, was an integral defensive and rebounding presence on a team that lacked both. The move felt like a headscratcher at the time, particularly considering the measly $4.4 million Davis commanded from Brooklyn. He would have cost the Blazers more than that thanks to their cap situation, but the sentiment held — Rip City wanted Davis back.

Talk from Olshey turned to how he was sure that Zach Collins, hot off an impressive rookie season, could fill the shoes left by Davis. That raised some eyebrows, especially considering how bumpy the development of some big men can be. Progression isn’t linear, and the worry was that Collins could hurt Portland’s chances in the playoffs if he didn’t meet the task.

At this juncture in the season, Collins remains one of the more interesting storylines on the Blazers. His progression has indeed seen some peaks and valleys, although I’m not entirely sold on his being in the midst of a sophomore slump. Collins has played well, albeit with his incredible October setting expectations for him too high.

 

Meanwhile Davis is having another great year for Brooklyn, continuing his impressive marks in offensive rebounding percentage, PER, and true shooting percentage. 

So, the question looms — has Collins filled the role left by Davis?

To start, it’s important to understand how the Blazers have used these players differently. Olshey’s big sell this summer was that Portland wanted more shooting out of the minutes provided by Davis. To that end, Collins has been a bit streaky, particularly when it comes to the 3-point line. However, when Collins has shot the ball well from deep, his offensive rating has skyrocketed.

That’s the primary difference in terms of understanding comparative statistics between Davis and Collins. Last season in Portland, Davis was a better player from both an offensive and defensive rating perspective compared to Collins’ marks this year. However, their relative value over a replacement-level player is quite similar, as is their PER.

Collins’ 3-point shot is the biggest reason for this unbalanced set of statistics between the two. While it’s true that Collins has been up-and-down from month-to-month from deep, Davis has a range of five feet. That not only impacts how they score individually, but how they change the spacing of an offense as well.

To that end, Collins has done exactly what Olshey talked about. The Blazers were a team who, in 2017-18, were 11th in 3-point percentage and 16th in made threes per-game. That wasn’t enough for a squad who didn’t have a player down low in the role Jusuf Nurkic has had this season. For a team led by high-scoring, 3-point shooting guards, the Blazers weren’t good enough behind the arc.

Collins’ ability to stretch the floor also changed how Portland enacted their offense from a gravity perspective. Opposing teams now stay closer to him at the arc than before, and even a half step forward in the NBA can change not just passing angles to and from Collins, but how secondary assists flow through him in kind of a butterfly effect.

Where Davis still reigns supreme is on the defensive side of the floor and on the glass, where the current Net bests the young Blazer. It would be too much credit to say the Portland front office saw this season’s offensive onslaught coming up behind them in their rearview mirror, but given this team’s flaws on offense, those kinds of secondary opportunities were in fact less valuable than they would be for another team.

That’s really what’s at the core of this Davis vs. Collins comparison, and for that I do have to give Olshey credit. There’s no doubt that both Davis and Collins had good seasons last year, and I still maintain Davis is the better overall NBA player. But context matters in the NBA, and the simple fact is that if Collins was going to continue to develop into a floor-spacing defensive presence, he fit better than Davis ever would. 

 

Because of the nature of the market and summer free agency, Blazers fans like to harp on Olshey for not being a risk taker. Ditching Davis in the face of a luxury tax bill felt a bit too heavy on the accounting side in July. But Olshey did take a risk in choosing Collins over Davis, one that would have fans clawing at his front door if Collins had regressed to start the season.

Davis was a true fan favorite, a man in the vein of Brian Grant or Andre Miller. For that, Oregon will always love him. But what Portland tries to do on offense and defense is tilted in favor of Collins’ skillset over Davis, and a fair comparison doesn’t exist between the two because of Collins’ better contextual fit with this team. Yes, Collins took the minutes left by Davis when he left for Brooklyn. But he’s more of an upgrade on potential than a replacement.

Well, as long as he keeps producing.

Read part 3 of this feature series on Life without Ed Davis: How Zach Collins has filled in this year.