As the Kings continue to battle for a playoff spot, they’ll get a boost on Tuesday, according to James Ham of NBC Sports California, who writes that point guard De’Aaron Fox is expected to return to Sacramento’s lineup.
Kings head coach Luke Walton confirmed to Ham that the plan is for Fox to suit up and play against the Hornets in Charlotte on Tuesday, barring a setback. It will be his first game since November 11.
Fox, who has missed Sacramento’s last 17 games with a left ankle injury, has made positive strides this month. The Kings announced on December 2 that the former No. 5 overall pick would be re-evaluated in about two or three weeks — two weeks later, he appears ready to roll.
When Marvin Bagley III recently returned from a hand injury for the Kings, he transitioned to a bench role, but that almost certainly won’t be the case for Fox. He figures to supplant Cory Joseph in the starting five, with Joseph returning to a backup role and Yogi Ferrell possibly falling out of the rotation. For his part, Joseph tells Ham that he’s excited to get Fox back in the lineup.
“He’s a huge part of our organization, everybody knows that, so we’re happy to get him back,” Joseph said. “He looks good. He’s running good. So we’re excited. He’s huge to what we do here.”
Sacramento currently owns a modest 12-14 record, but that’s good enough for the seventh seed in the Western Conference. The Kings and their newly-healthy point guard will look to hold off the Thunder (11-14), Suns (11-14), Spurs (10-15), Timberwolves (10-15), and Trail Blazers (10-16) in the postseason race going forward.