Collins plants roots between LA's biggest names.
John Collins Shares the Perfect Nicknames For New LA Clippers Teammates originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Los Angeles Clippers acquired John Collins in a three-team deal on July 7, sending Norman Powell to the Miami Heat and routing Kevin Love, Kyle Anderson and a 2027 second-round pick to the Utah Jazz.
The move followed Collins exercising his 2025-26 player option and capped a month in which the Clippers prioritized size, spacing and athleticism around Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
On Saturday, the Clippers shared a video of Collins getting his first real look at his placement within the locker room.
In the clip, Collins gets excited after noticing his place next to Leonard and Harden, or "Mr. LA," as he put it for both, before spotting Derrick Jones Jr.'s plate next door, effectively dubbing the pairing the "Bounce Bros," a nod to two of the league’s most explosive finishers.
"A lot of big-time dudes up in here… We got the bounce bros next to each other… We’re right where we’re supposed to be," Collins said.
"Right where we're supposed to be" - John Collins ❤️ pic.twitter.com/0TeQQWwVuO
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) August 9, 2025
John Collins' NBA Career at a Glance
Drafted 19th overall in 2017, Collins earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors with the Atlanta Hawks and became a high-efficiency finisher and spacer before moving to Utah (2023-25) and now Los Angeles.
Collins arrives in LA off one of his best statistical campaigns: 19.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals on 52.7% shooting and 39.9% from three in 2024-25 with the Jazz.
Collins also competed in the 2019 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, while Jones Jr., now his locker neighbor, won the 2020 event, emphasizing the shared "Bounce Bros" identity Collins referenced on Saturday.
His versatile play style, athletic ability, improved pick-and-pop touch and workable defense at the four slots nicely next to center Ivica Zubac and the franchise's newly added rim-protection insurance in Brook Lopez.
How the Trade Fits What the Clippers Built This Summer
Los Angeles reshaped the frontcourt and perimeter depth around Leonard and Harden. The sequence: re-sign Harden, add Brook Lopez in free agency, then flip Powell for Collins.
Subsequent additions of All-NBA guard Bradley Beal and 12-time All-Star Chris Paul rounded out a roster that also features veterans like Nicolas Batum and Kris Dunn.
By adding Collins to the mix, the Clippers shore up:
- Depth with definition: Collins' blend of rim finishing and perimeter accuracy fills a power forward slot that allows Leonard and Harden to operate within their sweet spots while preserving lineup balance with Zubac and Lopez.
- Offensive geometry: Vertical spacing changes how teams guard Harden. With Collins sprinting into screens and threatening the rim, weak-side help is costlier and shooters like Leonard, Harden and Beal can get cleaner catch-and-shoot looks.
- Postseason translation: The first-round playoff loss to the Denver Nuggets highlighted a size/athleticism gap. Collins addresses both without sacrificing shooting and his efficiency in 2024–25 suggests the production can carry into a narrower postseason role.
Locker placement won't win a game, but Collins' reaction and respect for LA's current stars signal a fit that tends to travel through an 82-game season and into May.
Moreover, the "Bounce Bros," moniker shared between Collins and Jones Jr., points not only to what the Clippers lacked in their first-round playoff exit but also draws parallels to LA's dominant "Lob City" era.
While today’s Clippers lean more on spacing and switchable defense than spectacle, Collins' and Jones Jr.'s athleticism gives Lue a lever he hasn’t had in abundance since that era.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Basketball
