National Basketball Association

Bobcats sign Collins for PG depth

Published Aug. 6, 2010 8:41 p.m. ET

foxsports

For now, the Charlotte Bobcats are trying to overcome the loss of starting point guard Raymond Felton with numbers.

The Bobcats added their third point guard to the roster on Friday by signing undrafted rookie Sherron Collins to a two-year, non-guaranteed deal. Collins, who starred at Kansas, played well for the Bobcats' summer league team last month.

''Sherron had a productive summer league and showed some of the qualities he displayed while at Kansas,'' general manager Rod Higgins said. ''He's competitive nature as well as coming from a very successful program. He's going to have an opportunity to compete for a roster spot.''

Collins joins returning backup D.J. Augustin and Shaun Livingston, who signed a free-agent deal last month. The Bobcats, whose payroll is close to the luxury tax threshold, didn't try to re-sign Felton and he went to New York.

Signing Collins, whose deal has two triggers before January that if he's still on the roster would allow him to make the full amount of his league minimum contract, has been part of a busy summer for owner Michael Jordan's Bobcats. And more moves are on the way.

Higgins will soon talk with center Erick Dampier's agent on how to proceed with his $13 million, non-guaranteed deal for next season. Charlotte acquired the contract from Dallas last month in the Tyson Chandler trade.

The Bobcats are leaning toward waiving him to clear much-needed cap space instead of trying to use his contract in a trade, which would be complicated because of the cap.

The Bobcats could then re-sign Dampier for less money. Dampier said last month he'd give Bobcats the first chance to do that.

Clearing $13 million would allow for another trade, perhaps for a big man or a starting point guard.

''We're going to continue to survey what's out there as far as improvement at all of our positions,'' Higgins said. ''I don't think you're ever satisfied with what you have. At the same token, you've got three young point guards there with different styles of play. But we're still trying to see what's out there as far as trades.''

The stocky, 5-foot-11 Collins is convinced he can become a part of the rotation. His stock dropped because of concerns about his weight and a groin injury that forced him to cancel several pre-draft workouts with teams.

Collins signed with Charlotte's summer league team and had 32 points on 7 of 11 3-point shooting in the final game against Orlando.

''I got the right call and this is a team I really want to be a part of,'' Collins said. ''Especially with the lack of point guards that they have, I think I'll fit in well.''