Just a quick update on the unfortunate injury to Chuck Hayes in Sacramento — he will be out three to four weeks, the team announced Friday.
Hayes dislocated his left shoulder when he fouled the Bucks Drew Gooden and their arms got tangled up awkwardly. Hayes fell to the ground in pain and laid there for several minutes before going back to the locker room.
New Kings coach Keith Smart’s job just got a lot harder as Hayes brought steady, hard-nosed production to a young front line that can be pretty erratic. He’s going to have to rely more on J.J. Hickson, who has struggled, or find someone else to give him those steady minutes.
Hayes was signed by the Kings in the off-season but a heart condition that came up during his physical led to Sacramento voiding the contract. After further tests (and possibly some treatment) Hayes was re-signed by the Kings at a higher rate than his first deal.
