April 5, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach George Karl (center) instructs in a huddle against the Utah Jazz during the fourth quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Jazz defeated the Kings 101-95. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
The Sacramento Kings had a great preseason to introduce their new revamped roster. Fans were able to see mixture of both old and new faces excel on the court.
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But in the end which player deserves to be the MVP of this preseason? There were a handful of players that you could make a valid case for to earn this honor, but there were three players that I personally felt stood a little bit higher than the rest.
Next: Marco Belinelli
Oct 5, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Marco Belinelli (3) brings the ball up court against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Marco Belinelli: Belinelli so far has made a great impression with his new team. In the six games he has played he has averaged 15.6 points a contest, while shooting .452 from the field overall and .316 from the perimeter.
Honestly his perimeter shooting is lower than expected, but his midrange has been solid, and just watching him on the court he has shown good instincts in creating plays for both himself and his teammates.
Overall, Belinelli has fit well with his new team so far by postiviely contributing to the shooting aspect for his team.
Next: Darren Collison
Oct 5, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) knocks the ball away from Sacramento Kings guard Darren Collison (7) at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports
Darren Collison: Collison showcased a very impressive preseason this year. Playing both as a starter and a backup, Collison was able to in six games average 15.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.8 rebounds a night, while shooting .537 from the floor and .437 from beyond the arc.
He has also been effective when his team needed him the most. For example, he played a prime role in the fourth quarter comeback the first meeting the Kings had against the Portland Trailblazers.
Overall, Collison remains to be one of the top if not the most consistent player on the team, which makes fans confident that his preseason production will translate to the regular season.
Next: Boogie Cousins
Oct 10, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins (15) controls the ball against the Portland Trail Blazers during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 94-90. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
DeMarcus Cousins: Not a big surprise that Cousins came to play, even though it was preseason. For the NBA’s best big man (what?), Cousins averaged 17.8 points and 7.4 rebounds a night playing limited minutes.
There is no question that DeMarcus’ presence is nothing less than a benefit for the Kings, and it was put on display again this preseason. This sample size of five games just adds to the testimony that Cousins is on his way to being one of the best players in NBA today.
Next: Final Thoughts (Who Wins?)
Jan 13, 2015; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Darren Collison (7) reacts after scoring against the Dallas Mavericks during the third quarter at Sleep Train Arena. The Dallas Mavericks defeated the Sacramento Kings 108-104. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
Final Thoughts: Both Rajon Rondo and Rudy Gay were potential candidates as well, but I have to go with Belinelli, Collison, and Cousins as my top three. Out of those three, my MVP is Collison.
Collison has played very well for the first time under George Karl’s system, and his efficiency level has remained constant throughout all six games. With his all-around game of defense, shooting, and distributing is what I thought made Collison more efficient compared anyone else on the roster this postseason.
Overall, Collison is my preseason MVP, but what made this decision process so encouraging was not who won, but who was nominated. Cousins, Rondo, Collison, Gay, and Belinelli, all will be part of the main rotation entering next season.
Seeing them play well in the preseason already, now gives fans a glimpse of what is about to come hopefully in the regular season.
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