Sacramento Kings sharpshooting starting guard Kevin Huerter looks like to miss the rest of the NBA season with a major ailment. Huerter initially left Monday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies due to a left shoulder injury and was ruled out for the rest of the game. The bad news doesn’t stop there, though. According to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee, it seems most probable that Huerter is done for the year.
The 25-year-old left the game in the late first quarter when Grizzlies shooting guard Desmond Bane made contact with his left arm while driving to the hoop. Here’s the moment of the injury, via ClutchPoints. Be warned, it’s a bit of a tough watch:
The Kings came out on top in the contest, which took them to overtime, 121-111. The team is still trying to figure out how long Huerter could be out for sure, especially with the regular season winding down. Sacramento only has 14 games remaining, with their last game being set for April 14th.
Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
Imaging by the Kings’ medical staff indicated that Huerter has dislocated his left shoulder and torn his labrum. Surgery is a possibility, but for now he is out indefinitely. A 2020 National Library of Medicine study showed that NBA players typically sidelined for 3.6 weeks with shoulder subluxations and 7.6 weeks with shoulder dislocations. In the meantime, young guard Keon Ellis will likely continue to handle the starting role in Huerter’s absence.
There’s still plenty of time left in the season. Hopefully, the severity of the injury isn’t too bad. The sharpshooter boasts averages of10.2 points per game on 36.1% shooting from behind the arc, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.6 assists a night. The Kings will miss his shooting dearly.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.