The Sacramento Kings will be without their presumptive starting point guard for approximately the first couple weeks of the regular season.
As first reported by Marc Stein of ESPN on Sunday, Darren Collison will be suspended by the league for the first eight games of the 2016-17 season. The veteran will be allowed to play in the preseason and participate in team practices, however.
Sources say Collison can play in preseason games and participate in all practices but must miss the first eight games of the regular season.
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) October 2, 2016
The NBA confirmed the eight-game ban for Collison.
Collison, 29, was arrested on domestic violence charges earlier this offseason. He ultimately wound up pleading guilty to one misdemeanor count stemming from the incident.
The former No. 21 overall pick averaged 14.0 points per game, 2.3 rebounds per game, and 4.3 assists per game in 74 appearances for the Kings last year. Though Rajon Rondo has since departed, Sacramento will have options to fill in for Collison in the short-term with new free agent acquisitions Ty Lawson and Jordan Farmar as well as rookie Isaiah Cousins vying for inside position.
