# Darren Collison



## Kidd (Jul 2, 2009)

I think he's kind of like a less athletic CP3, Hornets fans should be really happy about him. I remember when CP3 went down for a week or two and Collison was starting to play really well but CP3 returned and he just went back to sitting on the bench. But now that he's shown some real value, should management consider trading him for some talent in a position other than the point? (Possibly a swingman?)


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## RollWithEm (Jul 16, 2002)

briaN37 said:


> But now that he's shown some real value, should management consider trading him for some talent in a position other than the point? (Possibly a swingman?)


It's way too early to trade him. His trade value isn't anywhere near it's peak, and he's still a cheap commodity. They should hold on to him and watch him develop.


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## Geaux Tigers (Apr 26, 2004)

I really don't know why people are surprised by Darren's play so much. Some of his point totals have been more than I expected so soon, but as far as his assist numbers and general play, he's playing like I thought he should...perhaps just a year early. People do forget easily that Collison was a highly prized PG recruit at UCLA and sat behind Jordan Farmar until he got his turn. He's always had that ability to slash to the hoop and run a team. Sometimes players under Ben Howland will underperform in his system. There's a lot of UCLA guys that are doing much better than people projected right now.

As far as trading him goes I'm all for it, but RollWithEm is right...his value hasn't peaked. That doesn't mean someone wont offer us a good value and if they do I firmly believe we should capitalize off of this "surprising" play of his and go for it. But unlike most Chicago Bulls fan's we can't look at what he does in his Post-Hornets career and cry...I have a feeling he will be a good PG...we don't have enough room for him.


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## girllovesthegame (Nov 3, 2005)

I was just talking to someone about how refreshing it is to finally have a young point guard back up Paul. Ever since Paul has been in the league he's had older guys backing him up, some that weren't really point guards at all. Bobby Brown, Devin Brown, Antonio Daniels, Jannero Pargo, Speedy Claxton. But now that we finally have a pretty good point guard that knows how to actually run an offense rather than be a shot happy pass later type of guard, people want us to trade him. LOL! Geaux Tigers, do you know why he's playing better faster than you thought he would? Because he has the best in the game in his ear every night. The whole objective going into last summers draft was to draft a real point guard so CP wouldn't have to play so many minutes. He's still playing a lot of minutes though (pre-injury). Some of that might have to do with Collison not playing as well when he comes off the bench. He plays better than anything the Hornets have ever had backing up CP3 but off the bench he doesn't play nearly as well as he does when he's in that starting role. He really steps up his game then. So I guess my answer is no, I don't think the Hornets should trade him. There's no telling who the Hornets would have out there chucking up shots right now had they not drafted Collison. People had been saying quite often that the Hornets needed a better point guard to back up Paul but now that we have one, we should trade him. Get out. LOL!


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## Geaux Tigers (Apr 26, 2004)

You might be misunderstanding me GLTG. It's not that I don't want Collison at all. I was one of the few members on this board that didn't mind us drafting a PG to back up CP3 instead of a SG or another big. It's just that I've seen too many backups to Paul walk and try and take their game elsewhere and we have gotten nothing from that. I think we should capitalize off of Collison's great play and get something that we desperately need in return. The fact of the matter is that if Collison continues to play this way he will not want to remain a backup. If anyone could get some confirmation that Collison, who was a highly rated PG coming into college, and one of the best PG's in the NCAA his senior year is completely content backing up Paul for the next 7 years then by all means lets keep him! I just don't see that happening.

It takes a very specific type to be a backup. A person has to see themselves as a backup...and most young guys wont do that.


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## girllovesthegame (Nov 3, 2005)

You may be misunderstanding me a bit too GT. My entire post wasn't to you. Just the part about your being surprised Collison is showing more faster than you thought he would. I understand Collison was a good young PG coming out of UCLA even though he went I think #21. Which pgs did the Hornets have walked to take their games elsewhere? Bigger question would be which pgs that were worth anything walked? You think we could've gotten great value for players like Speedy Claxton, Bobby Brown, Antonio Daniels? So I'm guessing you're saying since Collison is better than these players he should have more value correct? I know it's almost every players dream to be a starter but I think we can hold on to Collison for a little while before we have to face him pouting about being a starter.


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

It's funny that Peja is finally looking like he deserves his paycheck right now. If West hadn't thrown that damned pass the Hornets would probably be fighting for homecourt right now. Their front court is still pretty bad, but on the perimeter they've got a few guys who look like good players. Heck Mo Pete has even looked decent, aside from stepping in all that quicksand in Orlando.


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## Geaux Tigers (Apr 26, 2004)

Collison is the best of all the backup PGs that we have had by a longshot so much so it worries me. But this is all speculation right now Collison might want to stick around and be apart of the Hornets as a backup if they can win and challenge for a championship...I know I would rather be a well utilized backup on a championship caliber team than a starter on a crap team.


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## girllovesthegame (Nov 3, 2005)

Collison with his very first triple double (18pts, 12asts, 13rbs) tonight against the Pacers. He's got to get ahold of those turnovers (8) though.


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

Yeah Collison has already claimed his place in the Hornets team record book with that ten turnover game he had right before the break. I was wondering if he was going to break it with four minutes left in the game.


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## girllovesthegame (Nov 3, 2005)

*Collison’s rise keeping Hornets alive, for now*



> NEW ORLEANS (AP)—The plan called for first-round draft pick Darren Collison(notes) to spend his rookie season learning the NBA in a backup role behind Chris Paul(notes).
> 
> The harsh reality is New Orleans will miss the playoffs if Collison is unable to produce in Paul-like fashion while the Hornets’ three-time All-Star remains sidelined with a left knee injury.
> 
> ...


Link


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## girllovesthegame (Nov 3, 2005)

He HAS TO control those turnovers. 2 crucial ones down the stretch of the Mavs game tonight. I know he's a rookie but the one when he ran into the teeth of the Mavs' defense only to get his stuff swatted came from bad game management. Set up something better than that when you're that close. I think the Hornets were within 4 when that happened.


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## VCHighFly (May 7, 2004)

He still has yet to figure out that the same exact tactics that lead to success in the first 3 quarters don't always work in the 4th when the other team turns up their intensity with the game on the line. That will come with experience.


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## girllovesthegame (Nov 3, 2005)

> *Collison makes strong impression on Paul*
> 
> Chris Paul(notes) spends his games in a suit these days. He stands almost as much as he sits, and he’s usually yelling about something – most often to shout encouragement to his New Orleans Hornets teammates. Paul can’t play while he recovers from arthroscopic knee surgery, but he can coach. And the guy who’s getting the biggest earful from Paul is the 22-year-old rookie who replaced him in the starting lineup.
> 
> ...


http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=mc-afterthebuzzer030510&prov=yhoo&type=lgns


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## girllovesthegame (Nov 3, 2005)

I guess he was due for a bad game but he looked every bit a rookie tonight against OKC. Is fatigue setting in? Are teams beginning to game plan for him? Marcus wasn't all that great tonight either. Oh well. On to the next one.


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## Diable (Apr 26, 2005)

Collison's been playing 42 to 47 minutes every game for six weeks. It's got to catch up to him pretty soon


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## girllovesthegame (Nov 3, 2005)

He's good but the fatigue or something is starting to settle in. Many games in as many nights. At one stretch in the GS game the guy started throwing away the ball like they were Mardi Gras beads. Lawd have mercy.


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