Phoenix Suns Draft Watch: Zach Collins
By Andrew Clark
The draft watch continues this week with the freshman center and pride of Gonzaga University.
In our Mock Draft 2.0 we projected Collins to the Detroit Pistons with the 11th overall pick.
Player Comparison
The freshman power forward is compared by Hoopshype.com to NASCAR owner and Cavaliers legend Brad Daugherty. Daugherty, who was forced into early retirement due to back injuries, put up career averages of 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists a game. Add in nearly a block and steal a game and you understand that this is a lofty comparison.
Both Daugherty and Collins stand at a full seven feet tall. Collins is a little lighter at 230lbs compared to Daugherty’s 245 college weight. As a freshman at UNC, Daugherty averaged 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, and 1 assist over an average of 23 minutes a game. Collins played only 17 minutes a game this year, but managed to total 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks a game. Daugherty never put up a three-point shot in his four years at UNC, while Collins shot 21 his freshman year at Gonzaga and made 48%. Collins was also better from the field at 67% compared to Daugherty’s 56%, and from the charity stripe as well where he shot 74% to Daugherty’s 66%.
From a style standpoint, Collins plays a lot more like Kevin McHale than he does Daugherty. His series of pumps, pivots, and hooks make him very tough to defend. He’s taller and a much better jump shooter than McHale, but has similar post moves and footwork. These are ethereal comparisons, but the ceiling for Collins is really that high and even his floor is pretty high as well. He’s a low-risk, high yield prospect when drafted in the backend of the lottery.
Why the Suns Would Want Him
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A Royal Pain
Collins would be the ideal center to add to the Suns’ young core. He isn’t going to be a bruiser like Andre Drummond, but that’s not the style the Suns want to play anyway. They want to run up and down, try to outscore you, and to play solid defense using traps and rotations. That fits Zach Collins’ game to a T.
Collins is one of the most fundamentally sound players to come out of college in the last decade – possibly the best since Duncan. His footwork is really impressive in the post and his defensive stances and rotations are textbook. Add in that his ability to hit three-point shots and you can understand why he’s a lottery pick lock even though he spent his year as a backup in college.
Collins is a mean-spirited player on the court. He has that x-factor in terms of competitiveness. He was arguable the most valuable player in the NCAA tournament without being the primary or even secondary option on offense. That’s exactly what this young Suns team needs.
Why the Suns Would Not Want Him
As good as Collins is, he’s not a top-five talent in this stacked draft. His lack of weight and strength will probably prohibit him from being an All-Star player. In a draft with many All-Star caliber players, he’s just not quite worth a top-five selection. For the Suns to take him, they’d have to trade assets to get a pick or they’d have to trade down in the draft. Either way, it’s unlikely that they could snag him.
If they do find a way to get him, the fit isn’t without risk. They already have Chriss and Bender who bring very similar size and skill sets to the table. While neither are as fundamentally sound as Collins, it’s not clear that there’d be much of an advantage to having all three. The Suns have a clear need for a player who can guard much bigger centers in the league like Boogie Cousins or Drummond. The Suns could bank on the ability of their bigs to stretch the floor and run the larger centers off the court, but in the playoffs that has rarely been successful.
Next: Draft Watch: O.G. Anunoby
Conclusion
Zach Collins is a very talented player who would be a great fit in Phoenix. It’s just hard to see a pathway that leads to that as a possibility. If the Suns could get another top-10 pick there are better fits for their immediate needs. Specifically, De’Aaron Fox would be a higher priority if they do not land in the top-3. It is also unlikely Collins slides much past 10 or 11. If Collins does slide into the teens where the Suns could acquire him through trade, the fan base should be really excited.