It’s better to be safe than sorry. The Sacramento Kings have chosen the cautious approach to one of their young players. CSN California has confirmed that the team is shutting down rookie Malachi Richardson for the remainder of the season.
Richardson, 21, suffered a partial tear of the right hamstring on February 15 and was listed as out 4-6 weeks. While the wing has not incurred a setback, he will need the entire six weeks to heal, which places him ready to return to action with just a handful of games remaining in the schedule.
Instead of pushing Richardson back into action, the focus is now on making sure the first round selection is ready for a full slate of summer events, including Las Vegas Summer League in July.
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Through 22 games, Richardson posted 3.6 points and 1.0 rebounds in 9.0 minutes per game for Sacramento this season.
CSN’s Kayte Christensen was first to break the news.