Tank Commanders: Every terrible NBA team's secret weapon to landing the No. 1 pick
By Cal Durrett
San Antonio Spurs: Zach Collins
San Antonio Spurs backup center Zach Collins' struggles have been baffling considering how well he played last season. He was an above-average backup and an underrated starter after the Spurs dealt Jakob Poeltl. His combination of post-scoring, three-point shooting, and passing made him seem like an ideal fit at center, giving the Spurs a skilled offensive big man to pair with Victor Wembanyama.
It didn't exactly work out that way. After signing a 2-year $35 million extension during the preseason, Collins has been terrible throughout the regular season. He went from looking like he could be a stretch five to clanking threes left and right. The Spurs even relied on him to score in the post when paired with Wembanyama, inexplicably turning Wembanyama into a floor spacer.
Once they benched Collins and slid Wemby up to the five, he began to play much better, suggesting that Collins was holding their best player back. With Collins making starters money but struggling in as a backup, the Spurs should look to dump him the first chance they get, especially with cheaper options like Charles Bassey and possibly Dom Barlow for next season.
In the meantime, the Spurs may look to secure the best possible lottery odds by sitting Wembanyama down the stretch periodically and playing Collins for 30+ minutes. That would almost guarantee an L for San Antonio.