Kings' Kevin Huerter set for shoulder surgery, out for season

Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter will undergo season-ending left shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, coach Mike Brown confirmed on Friday.

Huerter is expected to make a full recovery for the start of the 2024-25 season, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN.

Brown did leave open the possibility that Huerter might return if the Kings make a deep playoff run, and said Huerter will remain around the team and stay engaged.

"Him talking to guys, whether it's on the bench, in practice, shootaround or off the floor, it's going to be huge," Brown said. "He's going to be around as much as he can."

Huerter's loss is a significant blow to a Kings franchise that is fighting to stay out of the play-in tournament and return to the Western Conference playoffs for the second straight season. Sacramento (42-30) is currently in eighth in the West, one game behind the sixth-place Dallas Mavericks ahead of Friday's matchup.

Huerter, 25, had missed five straight games since suffering a dislocated shoulder and torn labrum and will now use the offseason to rehabilitate.

He started 59 games for the Kings this season and averaged 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists. The Kings were 11-4 in games when Huerter scored 15-plus points, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Huerter played a huge part in ending the Kings' playoff drought a season ago, averaging career highs in points (15.2), field goal percentage (48.5) and 3-point shooting percentage (40.2).

Huerter's injury means Keon Ellis will take his place in the starting lineup for the rest of the season. Ellis, a second-year guard who has been starting in Huerter's absence, is averaging 4.4 points in just over 15 minutes a game this season.

"I'm not sure what his upside can be yet, which is pretty exciting because he's such a young guy and he gives you a lot of different areas already," Brown said of Ellis.

Huerter landed with the Kings in a 2022 trade with the Atlanta Hawks.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.