Marvin Bagley’s latest injury comes as the Kings have dropped to 13th place in the Western Conference.
The Sacramento Kings’ highest-drafted prospect since 1989 continues to struggle with injury luck.
Kings forward Marvin Bagley suffered a broken bone in his left hand during Sacramento’s 122-116 loss to Charlotte on Monday, the team announced. X-rays confirmed the injury and the team said a course of treatment would be determined after further evaulation.
Marvin Bagley III Medical Update » https://t.co/IU9FMlbo8A pic.twitter.com/KmKAcKgNFc
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“I still just really feel for him,” Kings coach Luke Walton said after Monday’s game. “He’s put in so much hard work this year. I’ve said all year long, he’s continued to make really big strides and he was putting together a heck of a game tonight.
“We’re going to miss him, miss him out there on the floor with us. We feel for him, but that’s what being part of a team is about. We’ll be there for him and we need to find a way to get some other players to step and try and fill in for what he was doing for us.”
Bagley, a talented forward out of Duke, has struggled to maintain consistency with his health or role since Sacramento drafted him second overall in the 2018 draft. A sprained right knee, fractured right thumb and a right foot sprain have limited Bagley to just 111 total games in his two-and-a-half NBA seasons. His latest setback occurs the day before his 23rd birthday.
“The guy has been playing really well, works his butt off and it’s unfortunate, but that’s part of it,” rookie guard Tyrese Haliburton said after Monday’s game. “We have to figure it out. There’s no magic potion to heal him, so we have to figure this out without him. He’ll still be with us every day, cheering us on and being a great teammate.”
The 6-foot-11 big man is averaging 13.9 ppg and 7.6 rpg this season for the Kings, who are 13th in the Western Conference (15-24) and hold the league’s longest active playoff drought (14 years).
Information from The Assocaited Press was used in this report.
