Kings center Richaun Holmes hasn’t appeared in a game since January 6, and his return isn’t imminent. The team announced today (via Twitter) that he’ll be sidelined for at least two or three more weeks.
According to Sacramento’s announcement, Holmes received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection on Monday to treat a labral tear in his right shoulder joint. He’ll resume his rehab process following that injection before progressing to “controlled basketball activities.” A re-evaluation will occur near the end of February or start of March.
Holmes, who signed with the Kings as a free agent last summer, was having a career year before injuring his shoulder, averaging 13.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 1.4 BPG with a .660 FG% in 37 games (29.4 MPG). He took over as the starting center early in the season and the team had a +0.7 net rating when he was on the court, compared to -4.6 when he’s not playing.
At 21-32, the Kings are six games back of the eighth-seeded Grizzlies in the Western Conference, with the Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Pelicans also ahead of them in the standings. A late-season playoff push looks like a long shot, so if Holmes isn’t ready to return when he’s re-evaluated in two or three weeks, it may be time to start wondering whether he’ll be back at all this season.
Homes’ deal with Sacramento includes a guaranteed $5MM salary for 2020/21, so the team’s top priority will be making sure he’s 100% healthy heading into next season.
So, an injury that was deemed “shoulder soreness” when it first happened about a month ago, and deemed so minor that Holmes suggested he would play the following game, is actually a torn labrum?? Why is it that the worst NBA franchises record wise also seem to be the worst when it comes to handling, diagnosing and treating injuries?? See this crap time and time again with teams like the Kings, Bulls, Pelicans, Suns, Nets etc etc. Pathetic.
I had always heard that the Suns medical staff was one of the best if not the best in the league. Their head guy left to go to the Pelicans this past off-season I believe.
Because a torn labrum in your shoulder, at least from my experience, just feels like soreness for the longest time and even normal day-to-day motions don’t experience pain. It’s probably when he tried to throw a basketball one handed or that he did certain lifts that he knew it was something than just soreness. Trainers aren’t likely to have an MRI done if it’s just soreness