Should The Kings Extend Darren Collison’s Contract Right Now?
By Rafe Wong
Ever since Darren Collison stamped his name on his contract with the Sacramento Kings he has been nothing less of a delight for fans to see on the court. With that being said, has Collison done enough through his brief time in Sacramento to earn an extension, and to keep him in a Kings uniform for the further future?
In my opinion, I think he has. Through his first 45 games with the Kings, Collison has averaged 16.1 points and 5.6 assists per contest, plus shooting .473 from the court overall and .373 from the perimeter. All of this with a Player Efficiency Rating of 17.53
Collison has fulfilled many needs that the Kings have needed for a long time. Some of these needs being an efficient defender, shooter, and distributor at the point guard position, which he has exceeded beyond our original expectations.
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I know that the numbers he produced last season may decline because of the acquisition of Rajon Rondo this summer, but I don’t think it will affect his level of efficiency from the court.
What makes Collison such an asset to any NBA team that acquires him is that he is consistent both as a starter and a reserve. NBA fans know there are players in the league that exists where their performance can vary depending on their roles for their team (looking at you Marcus Thornton), but for Collison that is not the case.
To back it up, during his stints with the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers, Collison was a significant rotation player averaging 11.7 points and 4.4 assists a game as the sixth man for both squads in two seasons. Even this preseason with the Kings, Collison has played both as a starter and reserve player, and his efficiency remains consistently high averaging 15.3 points and 5.5 assists through six games.
Even before his success with Sacramento, fans thought the price to get Collison was a solid deal. Now with what he has done in the purple and white so far, fans (and myself) are thinking he is a complete steal.
If I were the Kings front office, I would seriously consider extending Collison’s contract to a couple more years. I have faith, extracting injuries (knock on wood), that Collison will continue to perform at a high level for the Sacramento organization.
However, I think the management will address this particular issue next summer, as Collison is only entering his second season with team, compare to next year he will enter his third and final year. But for me, I say pay the man before he becomes a high attraction around the league. Waiting till next offseason could consequence in actually overpaying for Collison, instead of getting the right deal.
Overall, Collison has shown throughout his career, and with the Kings, that he is a legitimate asset in the NBA. And because of this is why I think the Kings and Collison should discuss a potential contract extension during this upcoming season.
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