Kings lose key role player for remainder of season

Kevin Huerter has been ruled out of the season after having surgery on his torn labrum, suffered when he dislocated his left shoulder last week against the Memphis Grizzlies. The 25-year-old shooting guard is averaging 10.2 points, 2.6 assists and 3.5 rebounds this season for the Kings, a step down from last year's excellent 15.2 points per game, which included 40.2% shooting from three. This season, Huerter is shooting 36.1% from three.

Though he has been a smaller part of the team's offense this season. Huerter is still a key part of Sacramento's attack, stretching the floor alongside Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox. The Kings, holding onto eighth place in the Western Conference ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers, will make do with second-year guard Keon Ellis in his place in the backcourt.

It's a blow for the Kings, who are winning at the same rate as they were last season when they finished third in the West. But the whole conference got better, which means their 40-32 record is just barely keeping in the top half of the play-in just one year after they hosted a first-round series.

While Ellis has been an unexpected success off the bench, both Davion Mitchell and offseason acquisition Chris Duarte have disappointed. Duarte is the player who most needs to step up with Huerter out. After falling out of the rotation, the third-year swingman has a chance to redeem himself in Sacramento, mainly by getting some buckets off the bench.

Huerter should be healed by next season, but for now, the Kings' playoff chances are as tenuous as his labrum. Without him, the Kings could be looking at a play-in rematch with the Golden State Warriors – and that would be a bad matchup even with Huerter on the court.