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It seems the Los Angeles Clippers have turned into somewhat of a powerhouse this offseason as Chris Paul has re-signed and the team has made some strong additions. Bringing back Matt Barnes and trading for Jared Dudley and J.J. Redick makes their rotation more tenured and highly improved in many aspects.
In yet another move, the Clippers have brought in point guard Darren Collison to backup Paul. This signing cannot be talked about enough. After spending the majority of last season starting for the Dallas Mavericks, Collison will now join the Clippers on a two year deal.
In 2012, Collison averaged 12.0 points, 5.1 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game and shot the ball over 47 percent from the field. Contrary to many beliefs, Collison actually had a decent year. It wasn’t spectacular, nor was it necessarily what the Mavericks needed at the position, but it was serviceable.
Coming off the bench may be exactly what Collison needed. He could thrive in such a role with already four years of experience and a fairly efficient style of play. He doesn’t strike you as a legitimate starting point guard, but has experience in the role and will provide a veteran leadership off the bench for Los Angeles.
Collison, still only 25, has a ton of room to improve and could wind up breaking out with the Clippers as a reserve. Playing with guys like Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan down low can only improve his assist totals, giving him viable options to feed in the post.
For the Clippers, 2013 is an important year. They have a brand new coach in Doc Rivers — much better than their coaching situation in 2012 I might add. With even more talent added to the roster this summer, there will be high hopes in Los Angeles. Hopefully, for the fans especially, Collison can help the Clippers reach their highest potential next season.
Ryan Heckman is a Senior NBA Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ryanmheckman, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
