Kings Rule Out Eight Players for Hornets Game

The Sacramento Kings are coming off back-to-back wins over the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers, but will have a harder time making it three straight games tonight against the Charlotte Hornets, as they've ruled out nearly an entire rotation of players.

The Kings have dealt with injuries all season, but they are really piling up now at the end of the year. That's not an uncommon thing for teams at the bottom of the standings, but the list for tnoight's game is truly remarkable.

Kings Injury Report

Dylan Cardwell - Out

Devin Carter - Out

De'Andre Hunter - Out

Zach LaVine - Out

Malik Monk - Out

Keegan Murray - Out

Domantas Sabonis - Out

Russell Westbrook - Out

That really would be a decent starting five and three players off the bench in the grand scheme of things. Five of the eight players (LaVine, Sabonis, Murray, Hunter, and Cardwell) have all been out for extended periods of time, but Carter, Monk, and Westbrook all played last night.

Carter appeared to injure himself at the end of the game, which is terrible timing for the sophomore guard. He's coming off a career night where he scored a career-high 24 points, with 22 coming in the fourth quarter alone. He was a huge reason the Kings clawed back in the game last night against the Pacers. He'll miss tonight's contest due to right calf soreness.

Devin Carter walked off the floor with a very noticeable limp after leading the Sacramento Kings to a 114-109 win over the Indiana Pacers. Carter scored 22 of his career-high 24 points in the fourth quarter.
— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) March 11, 2026

Monk, right ankle soreness, and Westbrook, right quad contusion, have also been in and out of the lineup of late. With the Kings being nowhere near playoff contention, there's no need for either veteran to push through injuries and risk any further damage.

That will leave the Kings with just nine players tonight, two of whom are two-way players in Patrick Balwin Jr. and Daeqwon Plowden. Plowden will likely get the start in the backcourt alongside Nique Clifford. It would be the third start of his career and second in the last three games. Plowden is taking advantage of the opportunity, as he's stood out as a bright spot late in the season.

Expect Heavy Minutes

Doug Christie won't have many options tonight, as along with the three players above, he'll also have DeMar DeRozan, Maxime Raynaud, Precious Achiuwa, Drew Eubanks, Doug McDermott, and Killian Hayes. That's plenty of players to get through a game, but the Hornets are on a tear right now and have length and athleticism that will likely give the Kings fits.

The players will have to be ready to play heavy minutes tonight, regardless of the score. And that's easier said than done on the second night of a back-to-back. Sacramento and Charlotte tip off at 7:00 PM PST as the Kings look to secure their third straight win for the second time this season.