Darren Collison Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kings Notes: Lawson, Collison, Cauley-Stein

October 3rd, 2016 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

After four arrests for driving under the influence, the most significant obstacle for Ty Lawson as the guard tries to revive his career on a one-year, non-guaranteed deal with the Kings is himself, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee writes. Lawson’s presence is vital for the Kings, who learned Sunday that Darren Collison will be suspended for eight games to start the season following his arrest on misdemeanor domestic violence charges, Voisin adds. What’s more, the Kings lost Rajon Rondo in free agency, which ultimately led to taking a chance on Lawson, as Voisin points out.

“We went over the (free agent) list and evaluated everybody and in terms of talent, nobody was close to Ty,” Kings GM Vlade Divac said. “But we needed to meet with him and talk about a few things before we offered a contract.”

Here’s more out of Sacramento:

Collison’s eight-game suspension represents just a fraction of the 24 games Jeff Taylor received in 2014 for his misdemeanor domestic violence arrest. However, a person with knowledge of the investigation tells Sam Amick of USA Today that the same domestic violence experts consulted in the Taylor decision were used in the Collison case.
While it seems to be an unlikely pairing, Kings big man Willie Cauley-Stein tells James Ham of CSNBayArea.com that Peja Stojakovic, the team’s VP of player personnel and development, has been mentoring him in preparation for the 2016/17 season. “Especially in the summer time, I did a lot of work,” Cauley-Stein said. “Our goal every day was to make 700 shots. So by the end of the week, we were making thousands of shots.”
The Kings will play in the brand-new Golden 1 Center this season, an arena owner Vivek Ranadive calls “the world’s best,” per USA Today (video link). Former commissioner David Stern, who played a significant part in overseeing the sale of the Kings to Ranadive, vowed in a Sacramento Bee interview that he’ll be there for the team’s home opener.

Will Joseph contributed to this post.

League Suspends Darren Collison

October 2nd, 2016 at 3:04pm CST by Will Joseph

Kings point guard Darren Collison has been suspended for the first eight games of the regular season, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports, citing league sources (on Twitter). Collison can play in preseason games and participate in all practices, Stein adds (Twitter link).

Collison was arrested on misdemeanor domestic violence charges stemming from an incident in May involving his wife. He agreed to a plea deal in early September and as part of the arrangement, Collison pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor domestic violence. The 29-year-old received a 20-day jail sentence, which he was scheduled to serve in an Alternative Sentencing Program, working on community service projects.

The Kings, who missed out on Rajon Rondo in free agency, signed Ty Lawson as insurance in case Collison received a long suspension. Coach Dave Joerger said last week that the uncertainty which was surrounding Collison was not having an impact on the team. Joerger also hoped for a ruling sooner rather than later in order for that to remain the case, which the Kings received.

Pacific Notes: Collison, Gay, Watson, Lacob

September 28th, 2016 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kings coach Dave Joerger said the uncertainty surrounding point guard Darren Collison isn’t affecting the team yet, but he hopes for a ruling from the league soon, relays Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Collison is likely to be suspended after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery involving his wife. He was sentenced to three years of probation and 20 days in jail, which can be served through alternative sentencing. “If it lingers on two more, three more weeks, it’ll have an effect,” Joerger said. “But for now, it’s so much basic stuff anyways, foundation stuff, it’s general.” The Kings recently signed Ty Lawson as insurance in case Collison receives a long suspension.

There’s more news from the Pacific Division:

If the Kings trade Rudy Gay, there are limited options on the roster to take his place as the starting small forward, writes James Ham of CSNBayArea. Trade rumors are swirling around Gay again after he announced last week that he plans to opt out of his contract next summer. Ham believes Gay will be dealt before February’s trade deadline, and the Kings aren’t guaranteed to get a small forward in return. If that happens, Omri Casspi, Matt Barnes and Garrett Temple are most likely to take his place.
The Suns‘ Earl Watson is emphasizing defense and communication in his first training camp as a head coach, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. Watson took over the team in the middle of last season and quickly won the loyalty of players, who petitioned GM Ryan McDonough to keep him in the position. “He doesn’t hold nothing back,” said Eric Bledsoe. “If you’re messing up, he’s going to let you have it. That’s what you want out of a coach – to get on you. You gain so much respect by doing that. His enthusiasm, excitement and everything about him is bringing the team together.”
Kent Lacob is the new GM of the Warriors‘ D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz, the team announced in a press release. He joined the organization last year as Golden State’s coordinator of basketball operations.

Darren Collison Agrees To Plea Deal

September 2nd, 2016 at 6:46pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The domestic violence case against the Kings’ Darren Collison has been resolved, with the point guard agreeing to a plea deal, James Ham of CSNBayArea.com reports. As part of the arrangement, Collison pleaded guilty to one count of misdemeanor domestic violence, Ham notes. The 29-year-old received a 20-day jail sentence, which he will serve in an Alternative Sentencing Program, where he will work on community service projects overseen by Placer County. He will not spend any time incarcerated, per the scribe.

In addition to community service, Collison was also sentenced to three years of informal probation and he is required to attend a 52-week “Batterer Treatment” class, which is mandatory by the state of California in all domestic violence convictions, Ham relays.

“Words cannot describe the feelings and regret that I have been experiencing the last few months,” Collison said in a statement. “My family and I found ourselves in such an unfamiliar situation and it has been a difficult few months. This is far from who I am as a person and not something I am proud of. I take full responsibility for my actions. I have apologized to my beautiful wife that I have known and loved since high school. I appreciate and am thankful for the love and understanding from my family, friends and supporters. Now it is time to put this behind us and move forward.”

The Kings also released a statement on the matter, which read: “Domestic violence is a serious issue across our nation and one that runs contrary to our organization’s values. We’re disappointed by Darren’s behavior and today he accepted full responsibility for his actions. He is committed to using this incident to help raise awareness through education of this critical issue in the community. We’re working with Darren and the NBA on the appropriate next steps.”

With Collison now officially convicted of a crime, he will almost assuredly be facing a suspension by the NBA. The previous precedent established for what Collison and Sacramento could be facing was when Jeff Taylor pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor domestic assault charge back in 2014 and received a 24-game suspension from the NBA as a result.

Western Notes: Collison, Williams, Bonner

August 13th, 2016 at 3:42pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Kings point guard Darren Collison‘s court date regarding allegations of domestic violence has been pushed back to August 18th, James Ham of CSNBayArea.com relays (via Twitter). Collison was arrested in May after local deputies responded to a report from a woman who said she was being assaulted inside a Northern California home. It remains to be seen if the guard will face discipline from the league for the reported incident. The previous precedent established for what Collison and Sacramento could be facing was when Jeff Taylor pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor domestic assault charge back in 2014 and received a 24-game suspension from the NBA as a result.

Here’s more from out West:

Being back on the bench coaching during the Olympics has reminded former Thunder assistant Monty Williams how much he loves the game, but he’s still working his way back from the tragedy of losing his wife this past season and he isn’t sure when he’ll return to the NBA sidelines, Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press writes. “I’ll just take it one day at a time. I’m not concerned with where I am in my career, just because the Lord’s always taken care of all that,” Williams said. “My kids right now are the priority and I just want to get back home and make sure they’re in a good spot. Obviously working in the NBA is really important to me, but at the same time there’s a few other things that need to happen for me to get back to that point.”
While “nothing is ever 100%,” Matt Bonner acknowledges his time with the Spurs is likely over, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes. San Antonio currently has 14 players with guaranteed contracts and the unrestricted free agent forward has yet to hear from the team regarding next season, McDonald notes. “There’s no hard feelings,” Bonner said. “I’m beyond appreciative of everything the Spurs, the city and the fans have done for me.”
Wolves rookie point guard Kris Dunn says he’s fully recovered from the concussion he suffered during summer league play and will be ready to go when training camp kicks off, Michael Rand of the Star Tribune relays. “I feel great. I’m back on court. I’m just working to get better for training camp, but I’m definitely back,” Dunn said.

Western Notes: Durant, Rondo, Crawford, Mack

July 3rd, 2016 at 1:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Durant has concluded his meeting with the Heat, tweets David Aldridge of TNT. The session lasted about two hours, according to Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Durant plans to meet with representatives from the Thunder this afternoon before making his final decision. He also talked to the Warriors, Clippers, Spurs and Celtics this weekend, although L.A. is now out of the running.

There’s more news from the Western Conference:

The Kings are “moving on” from free agent point guard Rajon Rondo, according to Aldridge (Twitter link). Aldridge says Sacramento is comfortable with Darren Collison as its starter and will seek a backup in free agency.
The Sixers have made a “significant” offer to Clippers free agent combo guard Jamal Crawford, tweets Dan Woike of Orange County Register, and several other teams are interested. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year has been contacted by the Kings, Hawks, Nets, Mavericks, Celtics and others, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).
The Jazz have to make a decision on point guard Shelvin Mack this week, tweets Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. Mack’s $2.4MM salary for next season will become fully guaranteed on Thursday. Mack became the starter in Utah after a midseason trade from Atlanta and averaged 12.7 points and 5.3 assists in 28 games. The Jazz are trading backup point guard Trey Burke to the Wizards.
The Timberwolves are interested in Jordan Hill, but Pau Gasol remains their top priority in free agency, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News.

Darren Collison Faces Domestic Violence Charges

June 17th, 2016 at 5:37pm CST by Luke Adams

JUNE 17: The Placer County District Attorney’s office has formally filed domestic violence charges against Collison related to the May incident, detailed below. Collison is being charged with two misdemeanors – domestic violence and domestic battery – according to James Ham of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link). CSNBayArea.com has also passed along the statement released today by the D.A.’s office.

“After review of the all the above evidence we have concluded there is sufficient evidence that will allow our office to file and prove this criminal case against Mr. Collison beyond a reasonable doubt,” the statement reads, in part.

MAY 31: Kings point guard Darren Collison was arrested on a domestic violence charge on Monday, according to a report from CBS13 in Sacramento. The incident that led to Collison’s arrest took place early on Monday morning after local deputies responded to a report from a woman who said she was being assaulted inside a Northern California home.

Collison was booked into Placer County Jail on one count of inflicting corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant, and two misdemeanor bench warrants of driving on a suspended license. The 28-year-old was released on bail (worth $55K) and is scheduled to return to court on July 11th.

The Kings are aware of Collison’s situation, issuing a statement condemning “violence of any kind” and confirming that the team is still in the information-gathering stage. Sacramento will “take appropriate steps” once all the facts are known, according to the club’s statement.

We’ll have to wait to see how the case plays out before knowing how it might ultimately affect Collison and the Kings on the court for the 2016/17 season. When Jeff Taylor pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor domestic assault charge in 2014, he received a 24-game suspension from the NBA.

If Sacramento believes Collison could face a lengthy suspension for his off-field conduct, it would likely have an impact on the team’s plans this offseason — Collison averaged 30 minutes per game last season and is currently atop the point guard depth chart for the Kings, with Rajon Rondo eligible for free agency.

Pacific Notes: Kings, Collison, Suns, Clippers

June 2nd, 2016 at 12:52pm CST by Luke Adams

We heard last week that new Kings head coach Dave Joerger was targeting Bryan Gates as a potential assistant. Now, James Ham of CSN California hears from a source that Gates – a former Sacramento assistant who worked for Minnesota last year and the Pelicans before that – is indeed to set to come aboard Joerger’s staff. Last week’s report indicated that Joerger and the Kings were also pursuing Elston Turner, but there are no official updates yet on that front.

Here’s more from around the Pacific, including a couple more items out of Sacramento:

Kings point guard Darren Collison was arrested on a domestic violence charge earlier this week, but his lawyer, Bill Portanova, called it a “misunderstanding” that he’s “working to straighten out,” writes Andy Furillo of The Sacramento Bee. As Furillo observes, it makes sense to wait to see how the case plays out before predicting what it might mean for Collison or the Kings.
Emmanuel Malou, who was set to transfer to Iowa State before deciding to remain in the 2016 draft, recently worked out for the Kings, per The Sacramento Bee.
The Suns worked out a six-player group of prospects today that included Ryan Anderson (Arizona), Zach Auguste (Notre Dame), Ron Curry (James Madison), Cheick Diallo (Kansas), Lester Medford (Baylor), and Codi Miller-McIntyre (Wake Forest). Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer tweets that Diamond Stone (Maryland) is also heading to Phoenix for his next workout, while Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic tweets that Gonzaga’s Domantas Sabonis has a solo workout with the team today.
The Clippers‘ pre-draft workout group on Wednesday featured Daniel Hamilton (UConn), DeAndre’ Bembry (St. Joseph’s), Guerschon Yabusele (France), Cat Barber (N.C. State), Tyrone Wallace (California), and Zach Auguste (Notre Dame), according to the team.
In other Los Angeles workout news, Alex Poythress (Kentucky) has workouts lined up with both the Lakers and Clippers (Twitter link via Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com), Rosco Allen (Stanford) is set to work out for the Lakers tomorrow (Twitter link via Camerato), and Czech power forward Adam Pechacek will also participate in that Lakers workout on Friday (Twitter link via Orazio Cauchi of Sportando). Finally, veteran D-League forward Joel Wright is attending a Clippers mini-camp, a league source tells Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor (Twitter link).

Latest On Knicks Point Guard Search

April 22nd, 2016 at 6:52pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Knicks have had a glaring hole at point guard the past few seasons and the team may look to correct the deficiency by acquiring a player like Darren Collison from the Kings if it’s unable to land a bigger name in free agency, Ian Begley of ESPN.com relays. The New York front office began discussing the possibility of working the trade market late in the season, Begley notes, and members of the Knicks organization are said to be fond of Collison. New York had also reportedly had trade talks with the Hawks regarding Jeff Teague prior to the trade deadline and there have been recent discussions within the organization about revisiting that pursuit this offseason, Begley notes.

It’s unclear if the Knicks have the assets required to land Collison or Teague, Begley notes, but New York will certainly have enough cap flexibility this summer to absorb either contract. The Knicks will have at least $18MM in available space to use and that number could surge to approximately $30MM if Arron Afflalo ($8MM) and Derrick Williams ($4,598,000) decline their respective player options, the scribe adds. Collison is set to earn $5,229,454 next season, the final year of his current deal. The Knicks could conceivably add Collison and still have room to ink a max salary free agent, Begley notes.

Collison appeared in 74 games for the Kings this season, including 15 as a starter, though he did see increased time as a shooting guard as the season wore on due to the presence of Rajon Rondo. His averages on the year were 14.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists to accompany a shooting line of .486/.401/.858. The 28-year-old would certainly be a clear upgrade over the team’s current crop of playmakers: Jose Calderon, Jerian Grant and Langston Galloway. The wild card in New York’s future backcourt plans is Tony Wroten, who has declared his intent to be the team’s starter in 2016/17 as he makes his way back from a torn right ACL.

Western Notes: Collison, Martin, Davis, Beasley

March 5th, 2016 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

His partnership with Rajon Rondo may be temporary, but Kings point guard Darren Collison is trying to make it work, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Sacramento brought in Rondo on a one-year contract and anointed him the starting point guard. Collison has adapted his game and is getting increased minutes in the shooting guard role. “If I couldn’t start for teams, it probably wouldn’t matter as much,” he said. “Winning is still the No. 1 goal, if I had a list, and I’ll go from there. The way I’ve been playing the last couple of years, obviously starting is very fun to me.” While the Kings aren’t sure if Rondo will be back next season, they don’t have to worry about Collison. He is signed for 2016/17 at $5,229,454.

There’s more from the Western Conference:

Kevin Martin was one of the last remaining links to the competitive Wolves teams of two seasons ago, writes Michael Rand of The Star Tribune. Martin, who was waived this week in a buyout agreement and is waiting to sign with the Spurs, was a key component on the 2013/14 squad that still had Kevin Love and a mix of veterans such as Ronny Turiaf, Chase Budinger, Corey Brewer, J.J. Barea and Dante Cunningham.
After watching the Pelicans suffer through a disastrous, injury-filled season, Anthony Davis is determined to prevent it from carrying over into next year, tweets Brett Dawson of The New Orleans Advocate. “You try to establish a culture that you want to have around the locker room, around this organization,” Davis said. “You set it now, to finish out the rest of the games.”
The Rockets believe Michael Beasley matured while playing in China and is better able to handle the NBA lifestyle, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. “Our intel – and our intel in China we feel is as good or better as any team’s – is he is someone focused on his career,” said Rockets GM Daryl Morey. “I can’t speak to the past. I can say that based on our intel he is someone just focused on career and family at this point.” (Twitter link). Beasley received a two-year deal at the minimum, but next season is non-guaranteed, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. Houston will be $200K under the hard cap after signing Andrew Goudelock, tweets Calvin Watkins of ESPN.com.
The Rockets recalled Sam Dekker, Montrezl Harrell and K.J. McDaniels from their D-League affiliate in Rio Grande Valley, the team announced today.