SACRAMENTO -- The hits keep on coming for the Sacramento Kings. First Marvin Bagley broke his right thumb during the season opener against the Phoenix Suns. Now De’Aaron Fox is going to miss time as well.
Fox injured his left ankle Monday during practice. An MRI at the team’s practice facility revealed that the Kings’ starting point guard has an ankle sprain and will be re-evaluated by the team in 3-4 weeks by the team's medical staff. According to a league source, Fox has a Grade 3 left ankle sprain.
Durable through his first two seasons in the league, Fox has missed a total of 10 games as a pro, including just one last season for Sacramento.
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After a breakout second season, Fox is off to another good start in Year Three. The 21-year-old is averaging 18.2 points, seven assists and four rebounds in 32 minutes per game for coach Luke Walton this season.
His turnover numbers are up in the Kings’ new system, but the Kings rely heavily on his speed and quickness to breakdown opposing defenses.
The Kings dropped the first five games of the season, but they’ve won three out of their last four games heading into Tuesday’s matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers, and they currently stand at 3-6 on the year. Losing Fox for an extended period of time is a huge blow to the team, but Walton has other options at the position.
General manager Vlade Divac loaded up on point guards over the summer, adding veteran Cory Joseph to the mix on a three-year, $37 million deal. They also picked up a team option on Yogi Ferrell, which gives them additional depth.
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During the preseason schedule, Walton also turned to shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanovic to eat some of the minutes at the point. The Kings' sixth-man is capable of stepping into a primary ball handler role alongside Buddy Hield if need be.
[RELATED: Why Hield thinks Fox can be one of NBA's best]
In addition to Joseph, Ferrell and Bogdanovic, Sacramento has a pair of rookies they can use in the backcourt in Justin James and Kyle Guy. James is on the regular roster and Kyle Guy is currently playing for the Stockton Kings on a two-way contract. Guy can be recalled and spend up to 45 days with the parent club if they feel they need more guard depth.
Injuries are part of the game, but the Kings have certainly started off the year with some bad luck.