John Collins agrees to $51 million contract with Detroit Pistons

Free-agent veteran NBA forward John Collins agreed to a three-year, $51 million contract with the Detroit Pistons, according to ESPN.

The 28-year-old averaged 13.6 points (on 55/41/77 shooting splits) and 5.3 rebounds in 27.1 minutes per game over 69 appearances last season, mostly as a starter, for the 42-win Los Angeles Clippers, who failed to make the playoffs for the first time in four years. Collins scored 11 points in 21 minutes off the bench in a play-in tournament loss to Golden State's Warriors.

Collins once averaged as many as 21.6 points and 10.1 rebounds per game as a 22-year-old for the Atlanta Hawks. A year later, he helped the Hawks to an Eastern Conference finals bid in 2021.

The nine-year vet has not played in a playoff game since the Hawks made three straight appearances from 2021-23, when he averaged 12.6 points (43/34/83) and 4.3 rebounds. He spent two seasons with the Utah Jazz before joining the Clippers this past season, which marked the final year of a $125 million deal Collins signed with the Hawks in 2021.

The Pistons have also been in negotiations to re-sign restricted free-agent center Jalen Duren, who has met with the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers.