The injury bug has bitten the Sacramento Kings yet again as Zach LaVine went down against the Timberwolves last night and will likely miss a game or two. Fortunately, the Kings have coverage in Nique Clifford, Keon Ellis, and Devin Carter, who the team should rotate through while LaVine is out.
Injury issues have been unrelenting for the Kings in 2025-2026, going all the way back to preseason. Currently, Domantas Sabonis and Drew Eubanks are both injured, with LaVine having been added to that group. He left the Wolves game early with an ankle injury that will sideline him.
How long he is on the bench is the main question. The Kings don't play again until Thursday against the Blazers, followed by the Blazers again on Saturday. Sacramento has three days off between the Wolves and the Blazers, but it seems unlikely that LaVine will be ready to play by then.
The Kings have a lot of good options
If there is a silver lining to this situation, it's the fact that the Kings are not lacking in guards to cover for LaVine. Three young guns in Clifford, Carter, and Ellis are all available to start. Previous experience has proven that both Malik Monk and Dennis Schroder are better off the bench.
Head coach Doug Christie recently tried starting Nique Clifford, but it didn't go great. That being said, he doesn't have a lot of experience starting at the NBA level, yet. This is an opportunity to give him some good reps, which will be important if he's going to be a big part of the rebuild.
Both Devin Carter and Keon Ellis should also be in the mix, considering they are both solid defenders and the Kings need more of that in the starting lineup. Unfortunately, Christie doesn't seem to like playing either of them for some reason.
Get a rotation going between all three
Frankly, all three guards need minutes and development. LaVine being out injured for an indeterminate amount of time is an opportunity to do that. The Kings should quite literally split the time evenly between Clifford, Carter, and Ellis. Give them each 10 minutes. That's all they need to do.
Ellis and Carter both turned in solid performances against the Nuggets, only to be benched against the Wolves. Give them this time to build on that success, and maybe even find some sort of rhythm. And Clifford is a rookie who just needs time, either in Sacramento or in Stockton.
All three of these players have huge potential, and fans like seeing them play. LaVine being injured is terrible, but it is an opportunity to get them on the court with real opportunities to grow. They all could play a part in the future of the Kings, after all.