Kings Make Injury Announcement for Key Player Before Pistons Game

The Sacramento Kings provide an update on a key player with the postseason looming.

Mar 20, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Jake LaRavia (33) looks on during the fourth quarter of the game against the Chicago Bulls at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

As the Sacramento Kings attempt to gain some momentum coming off one of their best wins of the season, they received an unfortunate update on wing Jake LaRavia. The Kings have been without Jake LaRavia since March 25. 

LaRavia fell awkwardly and has been out with what was initially diagnosed as a bruised left thumb, and was set to be reevaluated in 7-10 days. Today, 13 days later, the team provided an update on the third-year wing acquired at the trade deadline. 

The update states: “Jake LaRavia is progressing through the return-to-play process after being diagnosed with an  incomplete scaphold fracture in his left thumb. LaRavia has been cleared for light on-court workouts and medical updates will be provided as appropriate.”

Jake LaRavia injury update from the Kings. He is progressing through return-to-play protocol for what is now being called an incomplete scaphoid fracture of the left thumb: pic.twitter.com/6gvratiJer

— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) April 7, 2025

This update shows the import distinction between returning and being reevaluated. This update provides a new diagnosis of the injury, moving from a bruise to an incomplete fracture. 

LaRavia’s thumb injury is clearly more significant than the team initially thought, and this reevaluation shows that he is not ready to help the Kings during their postseason push quite yet. 

LaRavia’s counting stats will not jump off the page (6.1/2.8/1.3 in 19 games with the Kings), but he quickly became a key piece in Sacramento because of his size for a wing, shooting (has shot 38.5% from three on 2.7 attempts per game), and defensive intensity. 

His absence is felt even more with Keegan Murray also sidelined with a back injury. When Murray and LaRavia are both out, the team’s wing depth gets very thin very quickly. 

Trey Lyles will continue to play a pivotal role down the stretch for a Kings team without other big wing options to replace LaRavia. Isaac Jones has also gotten run in recent games as well. Importantly, some of those minutes came alongside Domantas Sabonis and not as a center, which is how he was deployed earlier this season. Jones may provide some reinforcements at the 4. The Kings can also dust off Doug McDermott or Jae Crowder, both of whom can still be useful in spot minutes. 

At this rate, there is a very real chance LaRavia misses the Kings’ last three regular season games. This is an unfortunate development for LaRavia as well - he is an impending unrestricted free agent who could have used a strong finish to the season as leverage in negotiations this offseason. 

Conversely, while the Kings would love LaRavia on the court, this may soften his market in the summer when they are limited in what they can offer LaRavia to keep him this offseason. Because Sacramento acquired LaRavia from Memphis, who declined the fourth-year option on his rookie contract, the Kings can only offer him a starting salary of about $5.1M. The going rate for young wings with size far exceeds this number, so the Kings may 

If LaRavia misses the Kings final three games, he will look to return for their play in game (should they make it) on April 15. Returning for the play-in would be exactly three weeks from the injury. Here’s hoping LaRavia can come back rested and fully healed to help the Kings fight their way through the play-in.