SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 26: Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Sacramento Kings dribbles the ball up court in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Golden 1 Center on April 26, 2021 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
The Sacramento Kings got some good news on injured rookie Tyrese Haliburton.
The Sacramento Kings are once again headed to the NBA Draft Lottery, barring a shocking run over the final two weeks of the season. The team was, as usual, in the lottery last year and actually grabbed a nice player in Tyrese Haliburton.
The rookie is averaging 13 points per game this season and is up there with the best first-year players in 2021. That is why it was so concerning to see him leave over the weekend with a knee injury.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski provided Kings fans with a positive update Tuesday night.
Tyrese Haliburton escapes major injury
This is fantastic news for Haliburton and the Kings. The 12th overall pick from the 2020 NBA Draft appears to be a legitimate building block for a franchise that has not been to the postseason since 2006.
The Kings have been in a weird spot for the past 15 years. The best finish they have had was by reaching ninth place in the Western Conference in the 2018-19 season. Hitting on draft picks is crucial, and Haliburton seems to actually be a win for Sacramento.
There is no need to bring him back at this point, even if he could return. The regular season ends May 16 and the Kings are in the No. 12 spot as of Tuesday night. That is even after a three-game win streak.
The focus is once again on preparing for next season and landing another foundational piece in the upcoming NBA Draft. That is a tale as old as time, unfortunately, for Kings fans, but the good news is Haliburton’s injury isn’t more serious.