Collison holds huge key to Kings' success as super-sub

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Editor's Note: The above video is from media availability with head coach George Karl during Kings Media Day on Sept. 29.

Is Darren Collison the key to the 2015-16 Kings season?

No NBA player likes to see their front office sign a four-time All-Star at their position during the offseason. It’s a tough pill for any pro to swallow, but Darren Collison is exactly that, a pro.

After a breakout first season in Sacramento, Collison has been replaced in the starting lineup by Rajon Rondo. Collison has responded by making himself indispensable in George Karl’s rotation.

“If I had to bet, I think Darren Collison probably has as good a chance to have the best year he’s ever had in his career this year,” Karl proclaimed Saturday after the Kings win over the Portland Trail Blazers. “I think he’s just going to like what we do (and) how we use him.”

In 45 games last season, the 28-year-old Collison averaged a career-best 16.1 points and a near career-best in assists at 5.6 per game. Unfortunately, a core muscle injury cut his season short.

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His injury corresponded with the arrival of Karl in Sacramento. Coming into camp, Karl had never seen Collison on the practice floor or coached him in a game. The fact that Collison is winning over the veteran coach so quickly speaks to his effectiveness on the floor and the shape that he came into camp in.

“I think this offense fits me well,” Collison told CSN. “I’ve been playing well, particularly because of my work ethic and the opportunity the offense presents.”

Collison is a score-first point guard who plays the game with the pedal to the metal. He has an array of moves off the dribble and he can play off the ball as well. Karl’s offensive ideology plays directly to Collison’s strengths as a player.

“You think about his system, he wants us to run fast, run the wings, shoot the ball, get to the paint, that’s really my game,” Collison said.

On Saturday night, Karl chose to start both of his point guards together. Not only did the duo play well off of each other on the offensive end, but on the defensive end, they disrupted the flow of the Blazers offense.

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“I can see it being very effective,” Karl said. “I thought our ball pressure was better because of it. I think we caused some pressure with our hands.”

It’s a work in progress. Starting for the injured Damian Lillard, third-year guard CJ McCollum dropped in a game-high 30-points. The Kings were slow to adjust and left the sharpshooter open multiple times.

In defense of their defense, Collison and Rondo had never played together before. Not even in training camp.

It’s doubtful that Karl begins the season with both point guards in the starting lineup, but Collison and Rondo proved they could fit together, if only for one night. If they are both going to play starter minutes, they will have to get comfortable with each other quickly.

“It was cool,” Collison said of starting at the shooting guard spot alongside Rondo. “I can do that. I can start off the ball. It worked out pretty well for us.”

There couldn’t be two more contrasting players than Collison and Rondo. Collison is a self sustaining offensive weapon. While he can create for his teammates, his forte is running the floor and scoring in an efficient manner.

Rondo is an old school point guard. He manipulates the defense with his ball-handling and deft passing skills. Despite moving through tight spots, he has incredible ability to find the open man. Collison’s ability to read a defense and move to open spots for Rondo will allow the tandem to play together for long stints of the game.

This isn’t the first time that Collison has played with another ball-dominant guard. Maybe his time with Chris Paul and the Los Angeles Clippers prepared him for the opportunity to play alongside Rondo. In their first stint together, Collison shined with an 18 point, seven rebound, three assist, three steal performance.

Sacramento came into the offseason looking to improve their ballhandling and playmaking. Playing two point guards together for stretches of the game will help one of the league’s worst passing teams from a season ago.

The transition to super-sub is not what Collison signed up for when he inked a three-year, $15 million deal in the summer of 2014, but this is the NBA. Change is part of the business and you can either sulk or move forward.

Collison has chosen to move forward and it may pay huge dividends for a team looking to make a substantial jump in the standings.

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