Kings season primer: Marco Belinelli more than just a shooter

The Sacramento Bee provides a primer for each of the 15 players on the Kings’ roster entering their 2015-16 campaign, which begins Wednesday, Oct. 28, at home against the Los Angeles Clippers. View the rest of the profiles here.

Kings coach George Karl isn’t ready to put Marco Belinelli on a list of players such as Magic Johnson, John Stockton or Steve Nash – players who made their teammates play the right way – but believes the free agent acquisition has that quality.

The Kings signed the 6-foot-5 Belinelli, an eight-year veteran, to provide outside shooting, but Karl appreciates that the Italian has more to his game. Take Belinelli’s 32-point preseason effort against Portland; he also had four steals, three rebounds and three steals.

“(Belinelli) has a knack of making other people play the right way, which is an off-the-chart compliment even though you might not take it as a high compliment,” Karl said. “For a coach to say someone makes other people better is a high compliment.”

PLAYER BIO: MARCO BELINELLI

Position/jersey: Guard-forward, No. 3

Height/weight: 6-5, 210

Age: 29

Experience: Eight years

Prior to NBA: Italy

Key 2014-15 stat: 91.9 percent of his three-pointers with San Antonio were assisted.

Comment: Could provide instant offense off the bench.

Jason Jones

MULTIMEDIA

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STORY LINES

Belinelli elevates his teammates’ games

Karl: Belinelli suited well for reserve role

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Rajon Rondo, Marco Belinelli set to sign with Kings

This story was originally published October 24, 2015 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Kings season primer: Marco Belinelli more than just a shooter."