Sacramento Kings‘ sharpshooter Kevin Huerter, who underwent shoulder surgery near the conclusion of the 2023-24 NBA season to address a torn labrum, has been cleared for all activities and will play in the team’s opening night game on Thursday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Huerter suffered his injury on March 18 against the Memphis Grizzlies after being fouled by Desmond Bane. Initially said to be a dislocated left shoulder, it was later revealed that Huerter would need season-ending surgery to address the matter, which he has been rehabbing throughout the offseason.
Kevin Huerter cleared for opening night
After being cleared for full contact during the preseason, Huerter registered a clean bill of health and looked refreshed in the team’s practices leading up to the start of the season. Kings head coach Mike Brown addressed Huerter’s status on Tuesday, claiming that he anticipated the sharpshooter bing ready.
“I think he’s close,” Brown told reporters. “They haven’t given me the green light that he’ll be able to play on Thursday, but I think he’s close. He looks good. He doesn’t seem like he’s missed a beat at all. If he plays, he’ll probably start, but right now we’ve gotta get the green light to see if he’s gonna play.”
Now that Huerter has been given the green light, he will be playing on Thursday when the Kings open the season on their home floor against Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves, who are coming off a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday. Whether or not Huerter will start in this game is a completely different question.
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When Huerter got hurt last season, the Kings turned to Keon Ellis at the starting shooting guard position. In the 21 games Ellis started last season, Sacramento posted a 13-8 record. Not to mention, they were a much-improved defensive team due to Ellis’ aggressive play as a perimeter defender.
Brown has always spoken very highly of Ellis, which is why he is going to hold a significant role once again heading into the 2024-25 season. At this time, the Kings have not revealed who will be starting alongside De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, and Keegan Murray. Whoever comes off the bench between Ellis and Huerter will be joined by Malik Monk, who is the favorite to be named the 2024-25 NBA Sixth Man of the Year.
Huerter is entering his third season with the Kings. In a total of 139 games with Sacramento, 134 of which he has started in, Huerter has averaged 12.9 points and 3.4 rebounds per game while shooting 38.5 percent from three-point range. His 328 made threes since the start of the 2022-23 season are the third-most on the Kings, trailing only Murray (389) and Fox (333).