Kings PG Darren Collison suspended 8 games for domestic violence incident

Sacramento Kings guard Darren Collison will be suspended without pay for the first eight games of the 2016-17 NBA regular season after his recent guilty plea on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery.

Collison will be allowed to participate in Kings exhibition games and practices but will miss Sacramento's opening eight games after he received three years of informal probation and a 20-day jail sentence for a May incident involving his wife at their home in the Sacramento suburb of Granite Bay, California.

The suspension will cost Collison a total of $380,324 in lost salary.

In a statement, the league said it conducted its own investigation of Collison and consulted with a "panel of experts" to determine the veteran guard's punishment.

"Based on this investigation, consultation, and a careful weighing of all the facts and circumstances, the NBA determined that an eight-game suspension was appropriate," the league said in its statement Sunday. "Among other factors, the NBA took into account the conduct and its result, the player's acceptance of responsibility, his cooperation with both law enforcement and the NBA, and his voluntary participation in counseling in addition to the court-mandated program."

The Kings have known for some time that they would have to start the season without Collison, which prompted them to sign Ty Lawson and bring fellow veteran point guard Jordan Farmar to training camp.

"Domestic violence is a serious issue and directly contradicts the values of the Sacramento Kings," the team said Sunday in a statement. "Darren has taken responsibility for his actions and will work to raise awareness of this critical issue in the community. We support the NBA's decision on this matter."

Collison will be eligible to play for the first time this season on Nov. 8, when Sacramento plays host to New Orleans.