The Sacramento Kings are having an okay season so far. But it could get worse. With a record of 6-4, they’re not doing too bad but not too good either. Sac Town showcased their new star pairing of De’Aaron Fox and DeMar DeRozan in a thrilling win over the Phoenix Suns, seizing control in crunch time. Fox and DeRozan combined to score all 16 of Sacramento’s overtime points on Sunday, nearly single-handedly carrying the team to victory over the KD-less side. So, if they’ve done the heavy lifting, then what’s the issue?

In Sunday’s victory, their star sixth man, Malik Monk, sprained his ankle during the second quarter, forcing him to miss the rest of the game and sit out Monday’s contest against the San Antonio Spurs.

While navigating around a screen, the hoopster appeared to roll his right ankle after stepping on Mason Plumlee’s foot. After receiving help to stand back up, Malik Monk limped off the court and headed directly to the locker room with the team’s medical staff. Shortly after, the Kings confirmed he wouldn’t be returning.

The team has recently released an update on his injury and there’s good news!

X-Ray imaging revealed no internal damage and he’ll be re-evaluated in 2 weeks. Though relieved that Malik Monk’s injury wasn’t serious or long-term, the Kings are facing a tough stretch without their only key bench scorer for at least two weeks.

“Malik is obviously big for us,” Monk’s teammate De’Aaron Fox said. “He’s a sixth starter. He can start for a lot of teams, and obviously I don’t know the significance of the injury yet. If he is out for some time, obviously like last year, it hurt us big time. Obviously, adding someone like DeMar (DeRozan) kind of helps if someone does go down, so as a team we have to step up and continue doing what we’re doing defensively.”

Last season, Malik Monk finished as the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year runner-up, putting up career highs with 15.4 points and 5.1 assists, along with 2.9 rebounds per game.

Sacramento Kings Injury Report, after Malik Monk declared ‘out’

The no. 11 pick of the 2017 draft is out for the Spurs game. Losing Malik Monk is bigger than it seems, as he provided crucial support for the second unit while DeRozan and Fox rested. This injury might give Doug McDermott more chances to play and contribute off the bench. With Monk out, the Kings are leaning heavily on their stars due to a lack of depth. In the Suns’ game, only Keon Ellis, one non-starter, logged 20+ minutes. Monk was expected to provide energy off the bench, so others must step up to fill that role.

ABC 10 Sacramento’s Matt George reports that the team cleared Devin Carter for unrestricted shooting drills on Monday. The 2024 pick underwent surgery in mid-July to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury he sustained during a pre-draft workout. His progress has been good enough for him to start shooting again, and doctors will re-evaluate his situation in January. But he’s also out for the matchup against the Spurs.

The Sacramento Kings’ center, Orlando Robinson, has been cleared for contact after recovering from an MCL sprain the hoopster suffered in early October. Robinson, who joined the team on a one-year deal this offseason, has made progress in his recovery. But he is also out against the matchup against Spurs. And he’s yet to make his debut for the Kings.

With Malik Monk out, the Kings will rely even more on their main unit, which includes four key players—DeMar DeRozan, De’Aaron Fox, Keegan Murray, and Domantas Sabonis—ranked among the top 10 in minutes per game. After a tough overtime win in Phoenix, the Kings could face a challenge in San Antonio on Monday. Fresh legs on the court could be crucial for securing another win.