This article is part of a series that A Royal Pain is writing where we grade each player on the Sacramento Kings individually.
For this article specifically, we will evaluate the performance of Darren Collison. We will grade Collison based on his offensive, defensive, and overall performances for the 2016-2017 season.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: For this series, the players on the Kings will be graded on a curve, meaning that the grades handed out to each player say more about their ranking on the team rather than their actual performance grade.
Offense: A
There is a good argument that Collison was the best offensive player for the Kings this season. For the year, Collison was able to average 13.2 points, 4.6 assists, and just 1.7 turnovers per game while shooting 47.6% from the floor and 41.7% from the three-point line. Excellent numbers for a scoring guard.
Collison was also the top player on the Kings based on offensive efficiency as he finished the season with an offensive rating of 113.1 (per Basketball RealGM).
Bottom line, the word “reliable” comes to mind when explaining Collison’s offensive production this season. He is a player that the Kings and their fans know will make a positive impact for the team as a scoring asset.
Defense: C-
The perimeter defense for the Kings struggled this season and Collison played a part in those woes. Despite his efforts as a defender, Collison was constantly outmuscled by his opponents which resulted in easy scoring opportunities that were not in the Kings’ favor.
The defensive numbers were also not kind to Collison this season. For the year, Collison averaged just one steal per game and was ranked 13th amongst his counterparts in defensive efficiency with a rating of 114.8 (per Basketball RealGM).
Final Thoughts
It was envisioned prior to the campaign that Collison would be a scoring guard that can make shots at a high rate, distribute the ball from time to time, and limit turnovers. As it comes to the numbers and the eye test, he sure lived up to the expectations. Because Collison did an exceptional job in fulfilling his offensive role, it sort of camouflages the struggles he had as a defender.
Overall, Collison’s performance was great this season, and as a result, he was ranked 5th amongst his teammates in Player Efficiency Rating (PER) with a rating of 15.4 (per Basketball RealGM). Although Collison was ranked fifth in player efficiency, he was the only player among that top five to play more than 65 games for the season which has him, in my opinion, at least a top two player on the Sacramento Kings this season.