Redrafting the 2017 NBA Draft: Which teams fix their mistakes?

John Collins continues to add new layers to his game with each passing season. One could attribute his success to favorable circumstances (Trae Young is probably the perfect point guard running mate), but Collins has evolved well beyond his Wake Forest roots.

Drafted for his rim-running and rebounding, Collins still does those things exceedingly well. But, he’s also a reliable 3-point shooter with the ability to attack closeouts off the dribble and improvise in the mid-range. Collins is an excellent complementary scorer and play-finisher, but he’s capable of stepping into a more featured role when called upon.

There’s also the question of whether Collins has ever truly played the right position. He’s currently situated next to Clint Capela in the Hawks’ frontcourt. Atlanta has used Collins primarily at the four spot for his entire career, when on paper he’s much more of a modern-day center. The flexibility to oscillate between positions is valuable, but it’s fair to wonder what Collins would look like as a team’s full-time anchor in the middle.

The answer is probably mixed right now. Offensively, it could free up Collins to be even more dynamic attacking slower bigs in space. Defensively, however, Collins still has a lot of room for growth. He has gotten better in recent years, but Collins’ current capacity for rim protection leaves a lot to be desired.