The Sacramento Kings received another dose of unfortunate injury news Tuesday when Zach LaVine was diagnosed with an ankle injury
The team said LaVine suffered a moderate left ankle sprain late in the first half of Sunday’s 117-103 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. LaVine will be reevaluated in one week, meaning he will miss at least three or four games.
The news came as the Kings prepared to visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday at Moda Center. They will then return to Golden 1 Center in Sacramento to face the Blazers on Saturday, the Houston Rockets on Sunday and the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday before concluding a four-game homestand against the Dallas Mavericks on Dec. 27.
LaVine returned to the lineup Sunday after missing Thursday’s loss to the Denver Nuggets due to right thumb soreness. He scored 10 points on 4-of-8 shooting in 16 minutes before leaving the game late in the first half.
LaVine, 30, has appeared in 23 games this season after coming to Sacramento in the trade that sent De’Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs. The two-time All-Star is averaging 20.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 48.7% from the field and 38.5% from 3-point range.
The Kings started rookie first-round draft pick Nique Clifford in place of LaVine in the second half of Sunday’s game. Clifford is averaging 4.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 16.6 minutes per game.
Sacramento has yet to play at full strength this season. Keegan Murray missed the first 15 games while recovering from surgery to repair an ulnar collateral ligament tear in his left thumb. Now, starting center Domantas Sabonis is out with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee and backup center Drew Eubanks is out with an avulsion fracture in his left thumb.
Sabonis, who is expected to be reevaluated later this week, could be nearing a return to the lineup after missing the past 12 games.