Frontcourt blow: Eubanks out
Backup center Drew Eubanks is out for the rest of the regular season after tearing the UCL in his left thumb — another major loss for Sacramento’s already depleted frontcourt injury update (sacbee.com). That joins season-ending absences for other key players and tightens the Kings’ rotation heading into the final stretch.
Surgery for Eubanks is scheduled for March 18, according to the Kings’ official medical update. (nba.com) The team says he suffered the injury on March 11 during the loss to Charlotte, with the play occurring late in the first quarter of that 117-109 game. (nbcsportsbayarea.com) This is a recurrence: Eubanks missed about three weeks in December with an avulsion fracture to the same left thumb, per the Kings’ December medical note. (nba.com) Across 42 appearances (11 starts) this season he averaged 5.2 points, 3.0 rebounds and 13.1 minutes while shooting 59 percent from the field, a stat line compiled by Sactown Sports. (sactownsports.com) His procedure adds to a string of frontcourt losses after Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine each underwent season‑ending surgeries in mid‑February, as first reported by ESPN. (espn.com) With the Kings at 18-51 and 13 regular-season games remaining, Sacramento has leaned on rookies Maxime Raynaud (about 10.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game in recent tallies) and newly converted standard‑contract center Dylan Cardwell as rotation answers. (sactownsports.com)
