Kings' Sabonis, LaVine Out for Season After Surgeries

Sacramento stars to miss remainder of NBA campaign due to injuries

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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The Sacramento Kings have lost their two highest-paid players, Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine, for the remainder of the season after both underwent season-ending surgeries. Sabonis, a three-time All-Star, had an operation to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, while LaVine, a two-time All-Star, had surgery on a tendon injury in his right hand.

Why it matters

The Kings, who are currently at the bottom of the NBA standings, will have to navigate the rest of the season without their two star players. This will provide more playing time for the team's younger players, but also makes it more difficult for the Kings to improve their record and playoff positioning.

The details

Sabonis had returned to action in mid-January after missing 27 games following the mid-November injury. He averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 29.7 minutes in 19 games (15 starts) this season. LaVine had been in and out of the lineup for 10 games because of the tendon injury in his right hand before selecting surgery. He last played on Feb. 6 and averaged a team-high 19.2 points along with 2.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 31.4 minutes in 39 games (37 starts).

  • Sabonis underwent surgery on Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.
  • LaVine had surgery on Wednesday to address a tendon injury in his right hand.
  • Sabonis had returned to action in mid-January after missing 27 games following the mid-November injury.
  • LaVine last played on Feb. 6 in a home loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The players

Domantas Sabonis

A three-time NBA All-Star in the frontcourt for the Sacramento Kings.

Zach LaVine

A two-time NBA All-Star guard who plays for the Sacramento Kings.

Doug Christie

The head coach of the Sacramento Kings.

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What they’re saying

“It makes it tough, man. You feel for Zach, you feel for 'Domas' because you know how much hard work they, and a professional athlete in general, puts in to what their life dream is of being successful.”

— Doug Christie, Head Coach, Sacramento Kings (statenews.net)

“We want to win. That's the bottom line. We want the taste of winning for our guys so they understand that the hard work and the stuff that we focus on at practice and all the drills, that that stuff pays off and takes them into the offseason in a really good way.”

— Doug Christie, Head Coach, Sacramento Kings (statenews.net)

What’s next

The Kings host the Orlando Magic on Thursday night, where a 15th straight loss would set a franchise record for futility.

The takeaway

The loss of Sabonis and LaVine is a major blow to the Kings' playoff hopes, but it also provides an opportunity for the team's younger players to step up and gain valuable experience in high-leverage moments as the team continues to push for wins despite the challenging circumstances.