Kings’ Huerter to undergo season-ending surgery

Sacramento Kings guard Kevin Huerter will undergo season-ending left shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN on Friday.

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

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 was averaging 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 landed with the Kings in a 2022 trade with the Atlanta Hawks.