Lawrence Frank: Sometimes athlete or skill, John Collins has both

Jul 11, 2025 8:08 PM

In recent seasons, the Los Angeles Clippers have rarely utilized a traditional power forward on their roster.

However, that dynamic is set to change following their acquisition of John Collins from the Utah Jazz earlier this week, which, as Law Murray of The Athletic notes, will significantly alter the team’s composition.

Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, discussed the strategic thinking behind this move, highlighting the balance the team sought in adding Collins.

Frank explained, “Sometimes you have to make a decision between getting a great athlete who may struggle shooting the ball from range, versus getting the really skilled player who maybe is just an average functional athlete.”

He added that what makes Collins unique and valuable is his rare combination of both athleticism and skill, saying, “John has shown the ability to be both, which is huge.”

Collins has played 8 seasons for the Atlanta Hawks and Utah Jazz. He has averaged 16.0 points and 8.1 rebounds in 472 regular-season games.