National Basketball Association

Opinion: Would Nate Robinson Fill the Void for the Kings?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Sacramento Kings need another point guard on their roster. This article examines if Nate Robinson is the signing to fill that void.

The impending suspension of Darren Collison leaves the Kings with a need at the point guard position. The need is for a player that can play a bench role ranging from 8 to 15 minutes per game. A possible target is Nate Robinson. Below is a highlight video of Mister Robinson to get a look at his on-court exploits.

Why the Kings Should Target Robinson

Nate Robinson is a very fun player to watch. He stands on 5’9 but has produced some of the best dunks in NBA history. Robinson is the only 3-time NBA Slum Dunk Champion. He knows how to put on a show for the fans.

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Robinson is an above average 3 point shooter. For his career, he averages 1.3 triples per game on 36.0% in just 22.5 minutes. This would fill a need on a Kings roster that struggles from distance.

Mister Robinson would bring a wealth of experience to Kings. He was played 11 NBA seasons for 8 different teams. He also spent last season playing for Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel. That basketball knowledge and experience could be beneficial to a Kings roster that needs leadership.

Why the Kings Should Pass on Robinson

Nate Robinson is 32 years old and got cut after 2 games from depleted Pelicans roster last season. He only managed to play 42 and 40 games the two years before that. Robinson always was a player who used his tremendous athletic ability to create on the court and at 32 that ability is slipping away from him. He rated at .038 win shares per 48 last season and .021 the previous year (.100 is league average).

Robinson is more of an offensive point guard. Robinson is a shooter and a scorer before he is a distributor. His career usage percentage is 23.6. For a third string point guard, it is not the best look to go out and fire up your own shot before looking for teammates with larger roles.

Mister Robinson cannot defend. He is short and declining physically, but he was never a good defender at the height of his powers. For his career, Robinson created a negative 1.9 defensive box score plus minus. All stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference. The Kings already struggle defensively, so adding another negative on defense would exacerbate the problem.

The Verdict

Nate Robinson would bring a wealth of experience and 3-point shooting to the Kings, but his lack of defense, athleticism, and shoot first mentality are major concerns. This is a player the Kings should pass on, in my opinion. I think Robinson’s legs are just gone and he cannot be an effective NBA player anymore. Hoping he proves me wrong because he has been a fun player to watch in the past.

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