4. A Larger Spotlight
When Darren Collison suddenly retired from the NBA last season it was a complete shock to everyone. The veteran had tremendous interest from teams in an offseason where money appeared to be flying off of the shelves.
Chances are that if Darren Collison makes a return this season he would be looking at a much-reduced salary. If Collison has any intention of continuing his NBA career beyond this season he will need a spotlight to show that his game has not gone anywhere.
Although the Lakers and Clippers both call Los Angeles home, there is an enormous difference in their market size. The Lakers have always had a Hollywood theme to them that attracts the media. From the Showtime era with Magic Johnson to the Kobe-Shaq three-peat, the amount of publicity surrounding the team has been unlike any other.
On a team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis (with some Dwight Howard sprinkled into the mix), the cameras are focused on the purple and gold. This is evident with the amount of nationally televised games this season.
If Darren Collison is looking to capitalize on his free agency next summer, he will look to impress as many people as possible. In what would be a shortened season for him, he cannot afford to minimize his opportunity.
If the Southern California native can become the missing piece to the Lakers’ championship puzzle then he should have plenty of suitors come free agency.