Darren Collison Wanted To Return To Clippers

By MH
- Tweet
- Pin It
Updated: November 3, 2014

(Courtesy of Flickr user BRIAN WANG – Darren Collison)

According to ESPNLosAngeles.com’s Arash Markazi Darren Collison wanted to re-sign with the Clippers last summer.

Darren Collison was born and raised in Los Angeles. He went to college at UCLA. His wife, son, family and friends live in Los Angeles, but yet Collison finds himself on the Sacramento Kings.

Last season Collison looked as if he had finally found his basketball home in no other place than Los Angeles. After being drafted in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft, Collison had been four different teams in five years before making his way to the Clippers.

On the Clippers he found the his role as a backup for Chris Paul, and when Paul went down with a shoulder injury Collision thrived. The Clippers did not miss a beat once Collison was inserted into the starting lineup. They went 12-6 during the span, and Collision averaged 13 points and 7 assists during that time.

After the Clippers were knocked out of the playoffs, Collison opted out of his contract that would have made him less than two million dollars this season. The Clippers decided that they would rather fill the backup point guard position in a cheaper fashion and explored other options. They eventually signed Jordan Farmer, former Laker and UCLA Bruin to replace Collison.

While they found a replacement for Collision the Clippers also decided to use the money they did to sign a stretch forward Spencer Hawes. Hawes received a 4-year 23 million dollar contract.

For Collision he went on to sign with the Kings on a 3-year $16 million dollar deal. Collison talked to Arash Markazi about the situation:

Even before I even knew about the Kings, the plan was to come back here and continue to fulfill my role,” Collison said Sunday. “I had played so well with the Clippers and I gave it my all. My goal was to try to come back and help them win a championship. Then, when free agency started, that’s when the Kings pitched their idea and their thoughts of me, and they tried to build with me, along with the other players, for the future. That’s what you have to go with. You have to play with a team that really wants you, first. That’s where it starts off.”

Doc Rivers talked about the situation as well.

“He was very versatile for us,” Rivers said. “He played the 1 and the 2, he can guard the ball at times and it could give CP at times some rest. So far we haven’t been able to do that so we miss that. Right now Jordan hasn’t defended the way DC defended. He just doesn’t have that speed so CP still may have to guard the best offensive player. When we played those two together we typically put DC on the better offensive player which allowed Chris in essence to rest while he played. I thought it made it easier minutes for CP.”

Collison so far has embraced his role as the starting point guard and lead the Kings to a victory over the Clippers yesterday afternoon. Click here to read the recap of the game.

Although it looks like both sides have benefited Darren Collison should still be on the Clippers in my opinion.

Stay with us at Calisportsnews.com as we will keep you up-to-date on all things Los Angeles Clippers and the rest of the LA sports teams! All Cali, all the time!