— Back as a backup

For the second time in his career, Darren Collison is a backup guard to Chris Paul. For the second time in his career, he has no problem with that.
“You don’t find too many guards in my situation that can play the backup and continue to give a good second unit right off the bat,” Collison said. “That’s my job, making sure the second unit is doing what they’re supposed to do and complement the starting group.”
Collison admitted that he needed to swallow his pride in order to sign with the Clippers.
“It was kind of difficult in a sense where I had a chance to play for another team and try to start. That was only going to be in a rebuilding situation,” he said. “Very rarely do I get a chance to look at the teams I was looking at in free agency and say, ‘OK this team has a chance to be a contender for a championship.’
“And if I had to sacrifice my role as a starter and give up some of my aspirations and dreams just to win a championship, I’ll do that. I think that’s part of the sacrifice, that’s part of being on a good team and helping a team win and I’m all up for it. It wasn’t easy, but at the same time if it’s what it takes to win a championship, I’m all up for it.”