Injuries, Instability, and the Kings’ Ongoing Struggles: A Season in Flux
If you’re wondering why the Sacramento Kings can’t seem to gain traction this season, look no further than the revolving door that is their active roster. It’s been a year marked by injuries, lineup shuffles, and a lack of continuity that’s left the team scrambling for consistency-and fans wondering who’s even suiting up from night to night.
Let’s start with the injury bug, which hasn’t just bitten the Kings-it’s taken a full chunk out of their core. Keegan Murray’s season got off to a rough start with a thumb injury that required surgery and sidelined him for weeks.
He returned briefly, only to be shelved again. To date, he’s appeared in just 19 of the team’s 58 games.
That’s not just unfortunate-it’s disruptive for a young player expected to be a key part of the rebuild.
Domantas Sabonis has had his own share of setbacks. While he’s battled through minor injuries throughout the year, it was a more significant issue that kept him out for two months.
Like Murray, he’s only logged 19 games this season. For a player who’s supposed to be the engine of the offense-facilitating from the high post, anchoring the paint, and setting the tone physically-his absence has been felt in every phase of the game.
And it doesn’t stop there. The Kings rolled into their matchup against the Jazz without De’Andre Hunter, Russell Westbrook, Zach LaVine, Malik Monk, Sabonis, or Murray.
That’s a staggering amount of talent missing from the rotation. It’s no wonder the team has struggled to find a rhythm.
With so many key players sidelined, Sacramento has had to lean heavily on rookies, bench players, and even two-way G League call-ups to carry the load. And while there’s something admirable about watching young players get their shot, the constant reshuffling has made it nearly impossible to develop any kind of cohesion. Just when a group starts to gel, someone returns from injury, and the deck gets reshuffled all over again.
That lack of continuity has real consequences. Devin Carter, for example, got his first NBA start against the Jazz-a huge moment for the rookie-but it’s not necessarily a sign of long-term plans. It’s more a reflection of the current chaos than a strategic shift.
The Kings’ issues go beyond injuries, though. There are fundamental problems on both ends of the floor-defensive breakdowns, offensive stagnation, communication lapses-that need to be addressed.
But it’s hard to fix what’s broken when your rotation is in a constant state of flux. Coaches can’t implement systems if the personnel keeps changing.
Players can’t build chemistry if they’re playing next to different teammates every other night.
That’s why health is going to be a cornerstone of any meaningful rebuild moving forward. General manager Scott Perry knows it, which is why there’s an emphasis on targeting younger players who are typically more durable and less prone to long-term injuries.
But even that’s not a quick fix. Until Sacramento can field a relatively stable starting lineup and establish a consistent bench rotation, the deeper issues-on both sides of the ball-are going to be tough to solve.
Right now, the Kings aren’t just battling opponents-they’re battling their own roster. And until that settles, the road back to relevance is going to be a bumpy one.