Kevin Love
I’m referencing Cleveland Cavalier, NBA Champion Kevin Love here. And that’s not a shade on the player he was in Minnesota, either.
Love in Minnesota weighed around 270 lbs. When he was traded to the Cavs, he dropped to almost 240. He needed to run more, and he needed to shoot more; in LeBron’s offense, Love wasn’t going to be a bruiser on the inside anymore.
Cleveland version of Kevin Love is a terrific study for Zach Collins, however. Like LeBron did in Cleveland (and anywhere else he played, I guess), Lillard draws a fair amount of double teams, leaving at least perimeter guy open.
In Cleveland, K-Love was either waiting out there or had drifted from the post once LeBron drew that double, and was elite at knocking down a jump-shot.
Love did it from the mid-range as well, usually running a pick-and-pop with either Kyrie Irving or LeBron. Collins becoming comfortable with this pick-and-pop action could be huge for Portland, and would give them a whole other offensive option.
Collins is already decent from three-point range- 3 games in this season he was shooting 42 percent- but he can definitely get better. He is not as polished in the mid-range, and whether it’s pick-and-pop with Dame or CJ, or even just calling for a post isolation, Collins can learn a lot by from the way Love plays offense.
Zach Collins has an incredibly high ceiling, and I think Portland will begin to see that once he returns to the floor. Collins’ development is crucial to the Portland Trail Blazers’ chances of winning with Lillard, both on the offensive and defensive end.