Kings All-Star Didn't Attend Practice, Could Miss Lakers Matchup

Sacramento could be without a critical piece against Los Angeles on Saturday.

Feb 3, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox (5) celebrates with forward Domantas Sabonis (10) after scoring against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images / Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Three-time All-Star Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis missed a team practice on Friday with an undisclosed illness, and is at risk of sitting out his team's Saturday tilt against the Los Angeles Lakers, reports Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

Friday has been a day of upheaval in Sacramento. Beyond this troubling Sabonis news, Shams Charania of ESPN reports that the Kings fired third-year head coach Mike Brown following the team's disappointing 13-18 season start, including a brutal five-game losing streak.

Brown had inked an offseason contract extension, and will now be paid through 2027 to not coach the Kings, who currently occupy the Western Conference's No. 12 seed. Charania adds that the Kings have elevated assistant coach Doug Christie, a former Kings player, to serve out the season as the franchise's interim head coach.

The Brown firing isn't the only personnel drama to afflict the club this year. All-Star Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox declined a lucrative contract extension offer this offseason, and he and his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, have reportedly sat down with Sacramento brass to discuss the team's long-term trajectory and his role in it. Fox has yet to officially demand a trade, but by not locking himself into another deal with the Kings right away, he has unofficially put the team on notice that he is not satisfied with its current direction.

Despite his team's lack of success, the Kentucky alum has looked like one of the league's best lead guards this season. He's averaging 26.2 points on a .482/.332/.810 slash line, 6.1 assists and 5.0 rebounds in his 31 healthy games for the team.

Along with Fox, Sabonis has been the inconsistent team's most consistent player. Across 28 contests a night, the 6-foot-10 Gonzaga product, 28, is averaging a career-best 21.1 points on .603/.418/.791 shooting splits, 13.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 0.8 steals a night.

On the Lakers side of the equation, it seems likely that big men Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood — who have not played a single game yet this season as they recuperate from offseason surgeries — will remain on the shelf. L.A.'s starting forwards, 20-time All-Star LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, also sat out the Lakers' team practice with illnesses, and are considered questionable to play against Sacramento on Saturday.

Read More: LeBron James Could Miss Lakers vs Kings Game with New Ailment

With or without Sabonis, James and Hachimura, the Kings-Lakers contest is set to tip off at 7:30 p.m. PT at Crypto.com Arena.

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