John Collins is about to become a very popular guy. The Los Angeles Clippers power forward is heading into free agency this summer after a quietly solid first season in LA. And according to multiple league sources, he’s already got some serious suitors lining up.
Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints reported recently that the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs are the two most frequently mentioned teams in league circles as potential landing spots for Collins. There was some buzz about the Timberwolves too, but that faded after Minnesota landed LaMelo Ball in a trade. They simply don’t have the cap space to compete with what other teams can offer him now.
So what makes Collins such a hot commodity? It’s not just one thing. It’s the combination. He’s got that bouncy athleticism that makes him a lob threat every time he steps on the floor. He shoots threes at a respectable clip. And his defense has improved to the point where he’s not a liability on that end anymore. That kind of two-way versatility is tough to find in a free agent class that’s not exactly loaded with star power.
For the Clippers, losing Collins would sting. But they’ve got bigger problems to worry about. The team made headlines last offseason when they traded James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Darius Garland. It felt like a win at the time. But Garland’s first half-season in LA was … uneven. He had some great nights and some games where he looked completely lost. So the Clippers front office now has to figure out whether they can build a real contender around Kawhi Leonard and Garland, or if they need to shake things up even more.
Oh, and there’s the whole Leonard scandal thing hanging over the franchise. The NBA is still investigating the league’s findings into that whole mess with Aspiration from last offseason. Nobody knows exactly what’s coming. But the Clippers could face some kind of punishment depending on what the league finds. That uncertainty makes it even harder for them to plan their offseason moves.
Kawhi, by the way, just had the best regular season of his career in 2025-26. He stayed healthy, he was dominant, and he reminded everyone why he’s a two-time Finals MVP. But can he stay healthy moving forward? That’s the million-dollar question. His injury history is long and complicated. One bad fall and everything changes.
Free agency officially opens June 30. Collins will likely field offers from multiple teams. The Bulls and Spurs both have cap space and roster needs that fit his skill set. Chicago needs frontcourt depth and shooting. San Antonio needs … basically everything, but a versatile power forward who can space the floor is definitely on their wishlist.
Wherever Collins ends up, he’s going to get paid. The question is how much and for how many years.
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