As the NBA trade deadline looms, the Portland Trail Blazers find themselves at a crossroads. Their lone move so far-a minor swap sending the injured Duop Reath to Atlanta in exchange for Vít Krejčí-was a smart bit of business on the margins, but it’s clear that Portland has more heavy lifting to do.
The Blazers are currently mired in a six-game losing streak, and the cracks are starting to show. With Scoot Henderson and Deni Avdija still sidelined, the team’s lack of depth is becoming harder to ignore. That thin rotation has exposed not just the bench, but even some of the starters, including rookie big man Donovan Clingan, who’s been struggling to stay effective in space-heavy defensive schemes.
Clingan’s issues aren’t necessarily about effort or potential-he’s a talented young center-but when he’s asked to defend on the perimeter without the right support around him, the results haven’t been pretty. If head coach Tiago Splitter wants to take the next step in his development as a leader, he needs more lineup flexibility and players who can log meaningful minutes without the wheels coming off.
Enter John Collins.
Yes, that John Collins-the one who quietly slipped off the national radar after his move from Atlanta to Utah, and now to the Clippers. While he’s not making headlines, Collins has been quietly productive, and he might be exactly what the Blazers need right now.
Collins brings a versatile skill set that Portland could use in a big way. He can play both the four and the five, giving the Blazers options depending on matchups.
But what really jumps off the page is his shooting. He’s knocking down 42.9% of his threes this season-and an eye-popping 47.6% from the corners.
That’s not just respectable; that’s elite floor spacing from a big man.
And while his shooting grabs attention, it’s his rebounding that might be even more valuable to this Blazers squad. Defensive rebounding has been a quiet Achilles’ heel for Portland, especially at the power forward spot.
Collins has a career defensive rebounding percentage (DRB%) of 21.3%-a strong mark that reflects his ability to end possessions and secure the ball. Compare that to Toumani Camara (11.6%) and Jerami Grant (9.8%), and the gap becomes clear.
The Blazers are getting outworked on the glass, and Collins could help fix that.
Sure, Robert Williams III is an excellent rebounder himself, but he comes with his own set of challenges. The team is still managing his workload carefully-he’s sitting out back-to-backs and averaging just 16 minutes a night. And perhaps more importantly, he hasn’t shown he can share the floor with Clingan without clogging the paint or disrupting the offensive flow.
That’s where Collins becomes even more valuable. He can play next to Clingan and help space the floor, or slide in alongside Williams in smaller bursts, giving the Blazers a more dynamic look. In those lineups, Camara could shift to small forward, adding some defensive juice without sacrificing size or rebounding.
Collins is in the final year of a five-year, $125 million deal he originally signed with the Hawks. That’s a hefty contract, but the good news for Portland is that they wouldn’t be locked in long-term unless they choose to be. If Collins fits and is open to a more team-friendly deal moving forward, the Blazers might just find themselves with a dependable, low-maintenance contributor who can help stabilize both ends of the floor.
He’s not a star, and he’s not going to fix everything overnight. But John Collins could be the kind of glue guy who helps Portland find a rhythm again-someone who brings shooting, rebounding, and lineup versatility without demanding touches or headlines. For a team trying to build a sustainable future around its young core, that’s exactly the kind of piece worth targeting at the deadline.