MIAMI – It wasn’t a conversation that lasted very long, and it took even less convincing.
Coming over in the three-team trade that sent Zach LaVine to Sacramento, the new Zach in town – Collins – had a quick sit-down with Bulls coach Billy Donovan.
The topic? A request for the 6-foot-11, 250-pounder to help out in the physicality department, to give the Bulls some muscle behind the hustle.
Collins’ immediate reaction was yes and yes.
“They definitely told me that they like my physicality and what I bring as a big guy, the five man, and they needed that,” Collins said. “Every team needs that. You see around the league, no matter how skilled you are, no matter how you shoot the ball, there’s a level of physicality and dawg in a lot of those teams that win championships. I think it’s a recipe for success.”
Then he smirked.
“Yeah, they definitely told me that was what they were looking for and I told them, ‘I can oblige for sure.’ “
Not just an empty promise, either.
Collins has shown a willingness to put his nose in there against the bigs that like to play bully ball, but he’s also displayed an offensive skill that the Bulls weren’t sure would fit with their up-tempo, pace and space style.
They thought he was athletic enough, but until they saw him play heavy minutes it was an unknown.
It is no longer.
Even in the comeback win over Miami on Saturday, Collins made his presence felt with 10 points and eight rebounds in the first half, and then came out of the halftime locker room to hit back-to-back three-pointers and turn a seven-point deficit into a one-point game.
He finished with 18 points, 15 rebounds, three assists, and a plus/minus of plus-13. Numbers that the Bulls are suddenly getting used to since making him a starter seven games ago after Nikola Vucevic strained his right calf.
In that time Collins averaged 16 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists, while sitting at a plus-54.
Not bad for a guy that didn’t play in his first game after the Bulls added him, Kevin Huerter and Tre Jones in the trade, and wasn’t sure how or when he was going to get on the floor.
“It’s always tough not playing,” Collins said. “But I wasn’t too worried about it. A lot of things happen in an NBA season. Guys get sick, guys get hurt, guys can’t play, and you never know when your number is going to be called.
“I knew there was a good opportunity here, especially with the way they play, that I could fit in and show them what I could do, whether it was practice or a game, shootaround, whatever, I knew my time would come.”
And now there is a bigger picture in all of this.
The Sun-Times reported that the Bulls have been actively shopping Vucevic since last summer, and while they didn’t get a deal done at the February trade deadline, they came away feeling good about the groundwork that was established for a Vucevic move this summer.
Collins still has $18 million on the final year of his deal next year, so could it be as simple as Vucevic gets moved and Collins slides in?
“I am huge fans of all three of these guys,” Donovan said. “They’ve all been great additions. I think it took a little time for them to adjust or acclimate, but I’ve always liked Zach a lot.
“When he’s stayed healthy he’s been pretty productive. I love his physicality, he puts his nose in plays, there’s a presence there at the basket with him.”
Sounds like he’s a keeper for Donovan and the feeling was mutual, but as Collins pointed out that’s a conversation for another day.
“You hope the front office, the coaching staff, your teammates see you as someone that can help you win,” Collins said. “That’s all you can hope for.”