Darren Collison may have exceeded expectations more than any non-Oladipo player on the Pacers this season. Let’s look back on his career year.
Most sequels stink. Everybody knows that. The second movie is never as good as the first, the original always has a certain feel to it that makes it better and more likable. But don’t tell Darren Collison this information. The sequel to the movie “Darren Collison plays basketball for the Pacers” was WAY better than the original.
Collison’s first stint in Indiana was nothing special. He was just a sophomore in the league at the time, but his defense stunk and he only shot 34.4 percent from deep across two seasons. Near the end of his second season, he lost his starting spot to George Hill and that was that.
Flash forward five seasons, and Collison returned. This time, things were way better. Collison was the point guard for a starting unit that was clicking on all cylinders all season long, and he was a huge part of why they were successful. He led the league in assist/turnover ratio and three-point percentage, and he found ways to be impactful in way more areas of the game than he ever had before.
So it seems as if the sequel was much better for Collison. And it is not over yet. Let’s take a look at his season back in Indiana and then examine what comes next for the veteran caretaker.
The Good
I kinda gave some of his good away already, but they were so good that they need to be looked at more closely. First and most famously, Collison led the league in three-point percentage this season at 46.8 percent.
Holy wow. That figure is crazy. This, combined with his equally absurd 88.2 percent free throw percentage, propelled him to a 61 percent true shooting percentage. That figure was easily the best on the team.
What is even wilder is that he shot better on above the break threes than corner threes, a rarity for any player. Collison was finding the range from all over the court.
His form is awkward, but man does it work. Teams would give him a sliver a space to help stop Victor Oladipo drives to the basket. That usually didn’t end well:
Collison just had it going from the outside this season, and it was his third season in a row over 40 percent from downtown. This bodes well for him next season, as he has proven that he can be a deadly shooter on a season-by-season basis.
The other thing already mentioned that DC did so well was he took care of the ball. He led the league in assist to turnover ratio, and his assist rate was the highest on the Pacers by over five percent.
His 10.9 turnover percentage seems just okay, but it was his best career mark by over two percent. As Collison grows and plays in a system that suits him perfectly, he keeps finding ways to ensure he is making positive plays with the ball. Whether it was shooting, passing, or dribbling, DC did the right thing substantially more often than not. That is why he was so valuable offensively.
The Bad
There really isn’t a ton of negative things to say about Collison. Offensively, his game is very polished and methodical, and outside of a few hiccups, there isn’t much to complain about.
If there is something bad to say about Collison’s play this past season, it is all about his defense. HIs 106.6 defensive rating was one of the worst marks of anyone in the Pacers rotation this past season, showing that the team simply didn’t defend as well with DC on the floor.
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Some of this is that he is short and lacks strength. He can easily be bullied for positioning, and it allows the other team to be in the right place more often than they would be if Cory Joseph were defending the point of attack.
The other challenge for DC is defending on the catch. His closeouts aren’t great, and at age 30, his foot speed is beginning to dwindle. Opponents can blow right past him on closeouts and get to the rim, rendering him useless.
His small stature gets him killed on screens a lot too. Many Pacers defensive challenges with pick and rolls can be pinpointed to their trouble getting Collision to avert screeners and get back into a solid guarding position.
But he was fine enough as a defender. He never gambles, he usually exerts some effort, and he is never heinously out of position. This season was about average compared to the rest of his career defensively, so it is now clear what to expect from Collison defensively; not good, but not awful either.
A gif for Mr. Collison
Most people did not expect Darren Collison to be as good as he was this season.
It is safe to say that most people were as surprised as Andy Dwyer with how good DC was. He outperformed his expectation by more than any non-Oladipo player this season. He was outstanding in his role.
What is next for Collison?
DC is due to make $10 million next season, a bargain for the level of production he brings to the team. Even more bonkers is that only $2 million of that money is guaranteed, meaning the Pacers could waive him and free up $8 million of cap space if they wanted.
But here’s the rub. The contract fully guarantees on July 1st, which is the day free agency starts. Collison is also a pretty good basketball player. He is very tradeable on his contract. There are a zillion factors at play here, but they all point to the same thing: Collison won’t be waived and his contract will fully guarantee July 1st.
Plus, the Pacers aren’t going to find a point guard as effective as Collison was this past season for the $8 million they would free up by waiving him. It just doesn’t make any season to get rid of him unless it is in a trade package for an upgrade.
Next: Why the Pacers should not sign Julius Randle
So it is extremely likely that Collison is back next season. And that is great news because he was awesome. He made everyone forget about how blah he was in his first Pacers stint by coming out and being better than you expected every game. Hopefully, he can keep the momentum he gained during this hot season into the next one.