On the heels of the Sacramento Kings losing Zach LaVine to a season-ending surgery, Domantas Sabonis will follow suit. Sabonis will miss the rest of the 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery on Wednesday.
Sabonis went under the knife to repair a torn meniscus, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
“Kings star Domantas Sabonis will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 NBA season after undergoing surgery today to repair the torn meniscus in his left knee,” Charania reported.
Sabonis had averaged 15.8 points on 54.3% shooting, 11.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 0.9 steals in 19 games for the Kings this season. 2025-26 marks the fewest regular-season games Sabonis has played since 2021-22.
Amidst a disappointing regular season, the Kings entered the All-Star break with the worst record in the NBA (12-44). As part of a three-team trade, Sacramento acquired De'Andre Hunter, while parting ways with guards Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder, who joined the Cleveland Cavs ahead of the deadline. The Kings also sent veteran Dario Saric to the Chicago Bulls.
Will Kings secure odds-on favorite for 2026 top lottery pick?
While some will point to the Jazz and Pacers, both of whom were fined for benching their best players, as the NBA teams purposely tanking for a top lottery pick, the Kings weren't supposed to be this bad. The front office had high hopes heading into 2025-26, but injuries and a lack of chemistry derailed the Kings from reaching their full potential.
The Ringer's Zach Lowe discussed the supposed tanking of several teams. He, however, noted that it seems like the Kings are not doing it on purpose.
“You have Sacramento, just bad by accident. Just organically, abysmally, depressingly bad. The most unwatchable basketball team,” said Lowe on his show.
With the Kings' chances of securing the top pick in the 2026 NBA draft improving, the front office can only hope they'll be the ones selecting the No. 1 pick that will complement Domantas Sabonis and the rest of the Kings' core.
