Editor's note: This article is part of a continuing series in which Insider Bill Herenda highlights a every player on the Kings roster leading up to the 2014-15 season opener on Oct. 29
Ramon Sessions/Guard
Age: 28
Salary: $2,077,000
Contract status: Under contract through 2015-16. (Signed as a free agent by Sacramento on Sept. 22, 2014.)
2013-14 in review: Sessions played in 83 games last season including 55 games with Charlotte (seven starts) and 28 with Milwaukee (12 starts), reaching double figures 59 times.
Entering his eighth NBA season -- with Sacramento as his sixth team -- the former Nevada Wolf Pack point guard has career averages of 11.7 points, 4.7 assists and 25.8 minutes per game.
Sessions is also a career 80 percent free throw shooter, including seven games with perfect 10-plus free throws made. He sank 26 consecutive free throws from Feb. 24 to March 5 last season.
2014-15 outlook: As Sacramento looks to improve its offense, Sessions -- along with Darren Collison -- will be looked upon as catalysts, either in a starting role or coming off the bench.
Widely respected in the NBA, Sessions, a seven-veteran, is an excellent decision maker in the open court, a good finisher and disher, and consistently and quickly gets to the basket.
Sessions possesses a professional demeanor on and off the floor that Kings' young backcourt players like Ben McLemore, Nik Stauskas and Ray McCallum will benefit from.
The Kings lost 16 games last season by six points or less (two possessions), and desperately need to improve at “winning time” -- critical junctures of games where the outcome is ultimately decided.
Last year, Charlotte was a winning team with Sessions, who also has playoff credentials with the Lakers in 2011-12. Don’t be surprised to see Sessions and Collison on the floor together with the game on the line.
Additionally, coach Michael Malone will have Sessions on the floor in crunch time due to his clutch free throw shooting ability.
If Sacramento is successful in improving on back-to-back 28-win seasons, GM Pete D’Alessandro will be lauded for his September acquisition of Sessions.
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Kings Outlook
F Omri Casspi
G Darren Collison
C DeMarcus Cousins
F Reggie Evans
F Rudy Gay
C Ryan Hollins
G Trey Johnson
F Carl Landry
G Ray McCallum
G Ben McLemore
F Eric Moreland
G Ramon Sessions
G Nik Stauskas
F/C Jason Thompson
F Derrick Williams
