Kevin Huerter nearing a return after fully participating in practice

Mar 23, 2023, 4:17 PM

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - MARCH 15: Kevin Huerter #9 of the Sacramento Kings shoots against the Chicago B...

(Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings Beat Writer

Reinforcements are on the way for the Sacramento Kings.

After missing the past three games due to a right Popliteus strain, Kevin Huerter is nearing a return to game-action–possibly as soon as Friday night’s game against the Phoenix Suns at Golden 1 Center.

The 24-year-old was a full participant in Thursday’s practice, and head coach Mike Brown said that Huerter “looked good” during his return to the court.

“He looked good,” Brown said when asked how Huerter looked health-wise during practice. “We’ll see if it bothered him after today, but he looked good throughout practice and went through the whole practice.”

According to a league source, the Kings’ medical staff will evaluate Huerter on Friday morning to see how he feels before deciding on his status against Phoenix.

pic.twitter.com/IkFk5OjBgi

— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) March 23, 2023

The Maryland product exited last Thursday’s game in Brooklyn midway through the first quarter after falling awkwardly on his right leg. Sacramento’s training staff attempted to work on Huerter before eventually taking him back to the locker room.

Huerter had been on an absolute heater before suffering the injury, as ‘Red Velvet’ had averaged 19.9 points per game on 56 percent shooting from three-point range (7.1 attempts per game) over his last eight appearances leading into last week’s game in Brooklyn.

Sacramento has a chance to reduce its NBA Playoff clinch Magic Number to 2 or 1 if they can defeat the Suns on Friday, while a win would also essentially guarantee the franchise its first Pacific Division championship since the 2002-03 season.

Thankfully, the Kings won’t be without Huerter for long as they inch closer to securing its first postseason berth in nearly two decades.

The return of Red Velvet.

After shooting 31% from beyond the three-point line from January 15th to February 26th, Kevin Huerter has been a flamethrower in March 🔥

Huerter over the past 8 games:

19.8 PTS | 3.6 AST | 57% FG | 56% 3PT (7.1 attempts/G) pic.twitter.com/f5eUG22QxB

— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) March 16, 2023

Next Game

Sacramento will have a chance to all but ensure its first Pacific Division championship since the 2002-03 season if they can beat the Phoenix Suns on Friday night at Golden 1 Center.

Be sure to get all of your Kings vs. Suns coverage right here on Sactown Sports 1140 beginning at 5:30 PM PST on Game Night with Scott Marsh and Henry ‘The High Flyer’ Turner before a 7:00 PM PST tip-off from downtown Sacramento.