John Collins is bringing a different kind of scoring to Detroit, and that change may take some getting used to.
The Pistons are counting on Collins to help push them toward contender status, and his impact could end up swinging their offense this season. But the big difference between him and Tobias Harris is impossible to ignore: Collins is not the kind of player who creates much for himself. That’s a major shift for a fan base used to Harris serving as a late-clock release valve.
Through two preseason games, Collins has already shown the outlines of his role. It’s not built around isolations or tough self-made buckets.
It’s built around movement, spacing and finishing plays. He was brought in as a supporting piece, not a centerpiece, and the Pistons seem to understand exactly what that means.
What Collins does offer is value away from the ball. His 3-point shooting and cutting should help give Detroit a different kind of offensive pressure, especially with the team still looking for more shooting overall. In theory, his presence should also make life easier for Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren and Ausar Thompson by pulling defenders away and opening up cleaner reads.
There’s also a little more to Collins’ value than just scoring. He’s bigger than Harris, which gives Detroit the option of using him as a small-ball center for limited stretches.
With the Pistons not exactly loaded up front this season, that flexibility could matter. It also gives them another lineup wrinkle to play with depending on the matchup.
Still, the adjustment for fans could be real. Last season, Detroit leaned on Harris for emergency offense when possessions bogged down, especially in the playoffs.
Collins doesn’t bring that same toolbox. If the Pistons’ other creators don’t take a step forward, his addition could expose that gap instead of covering it up.
So far in preseason, nearly all of Collins’ shots have come off potential assists or offensive rebounds. That’s useful if Detroit already has enough creators to feed him.
It’s a problem if they don’t. He also doesn’t live in the midrange the way Harris did, which removes one option from Detroit’s offensive mix against defenses that try to squeeze everything else away.
Even so, the Pistons may not miss that part of Harris’ game all that much. They already get enough midrange attempts from Cade and some of the bigs. Collins’ job is different: stretch the defense, create space and make the offense feel less cramped.
That’s the mission, and Collins appears locked in on it. He’s there to bring a new element, not to force difficult possessions against set defenses. The key for Detroit is simple enough: everyone has to understand what kind of player he is.
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