After pleading guilty to one count of misdemeanor domestic battery, Darren Collison was suspended eight games by the NBA, a penalty that will cost him nearly $400K in salary. However, as Kings general manager Vlade Divac tells Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee, the discipline from the league for Collison could have been harsher.
“These are serious matters,” said the Kings GM. “It goes against all the values our organization wants to represent. But I think it’s fair. The (Placer County District Attorney’s Office) did their investigation and made their decision, and the league did their own investigation as well. And the fact Darren cooperated right from the start, I believe, really helped him.”
Here’s more from around the Pacific division, including a note on one of the players who could see increased minutes during Collison’s absence:
- Although he stands 6’6″, Garrett Temple has always made an effort to be a versatile player, which has meant spending some time at the point guard position. As Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes, Temple could be an important piece for the Kings, as a veteran who can play alongside another point guard or run the point himself when necessary.
- Confirming a July report, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, said that his team is exploring the possibility of moving to a new arena once their lease with the Staples Center expires, tweets Dan Woike of The Orange County Register. Ballmer has no intention of ever taking the franchise out of Los Angeles, but has interest in moving to a building that wouldn’t be shared with the Lakers.
- Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and J.J. Redick will all be eligible for free agency in 2017, which raises questions about what sort of season the Clippers need to have in order to ensure all three players want to re-sign with the club next summer, writes Dan Feldman of Pro Basketball Talk.