This may be a panic post, but watching Gillespie made me nervous last night. He’s afraid to shoot and just doesn’t look ready. I think Murray insurance is a good idea because of how many injuries he picks up, and even if he’s not injured, he should get solid load management all year. That means a lot of sketchy Collin minutes.

So I checked the free agent pool. I wanted to see what NBA dregs could be scraped from the bottom of the barrel, but to my surprise, there were several good options. Guys who can safely handle, make passes and shoot a high percentage. None of them are plus defenders, but neither is Collin.

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Options

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1. DJ Augustine, last played in 21-22, he appeared in 55 games and shot 41% from three, for 5 PPG in about 15 minutes per game. He’s not going to light the league on fire at age 35, but he’s a sterling shooter and decent ball handler.

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2. Kemba Walker, washed veteran who is a shadow of his former self, but still a good shooter. He’s got tons of experience and is currently a UFA. Last appeared with the Knicks for 37 games in 21-22, averaged 11 PPG and 4 APG in 25 minutes. His three pointers hit at a 36% rate playing for a bad offensive team with limited spacing. He could be 38-42% shooter with the looks he’d get in Denver. No he’s not a good defender, no he won’t average 25, but he can hit a few threes and feed Jokic in the post.

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3. Goran Dragic, another washed veteran but he’s got size at 6’4" and shoots at solid rate. He averaged 6 PPG last year on 36% from 3, and is a solid game manager. You’re never excited to see Dragic checked into a game, but you’re never mad either. He can be a productive passer and shooter, with defensive limitations of course.

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4. Austin Rivers part two. No he’s not amazing, yes he’s a bone head, no he’s not a great defender, but we are scraping the barrel for talent. He can shoot the ball and make some passes, and plays off the dribble. No his last tenure wasn’t amazing but I have little faith in our current 3rd string PG.

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Overall, I know everyone likes an underdog story and Collin is certainly that. I know it’s only nine games into the season, but with Murray, a good 3rd string PG is important. We need him 100% rested and healthy for when the playoffs come, and Collin minutes are fucking scary. I’d rather have a washed, kinda reliable vet instead of a “prospect” who’s 24 and looks scared when he has the ball.

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That said, I’m not giving up on Collin long term, he can be a solid player one day. But this is not a tanking team. It needs reliable players now, not later. Let Collin work on his game while a veteran takes the workload.