It will be interesting to see what Kevin Martin decides to do. He might try to play through this injury or he will rest it for 6-8 weeks to let it heal. If he’s smart he’ll take the time off because this kind of an injury won’t heal right if he continues playing. Martin has started all 5 games for the Kings this season and he is averaging 41.8 minutes, 30.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.0 steals per game. The Kings can’t replace Martin who is by far the best player on the team.

UPDATE: Kevin Martin has elected to have the surgery to his wrist. Rookie Tyreke Evans will replace him at shooting guard and Beno Udrih will rejoin the starting lineup as the point guard.

The Kings have lost starting small forward Francisco Garcia indefinately as he has fractured his right forearm in a freak weightlifting accident. This is literally a bad “break” for both Garcia and the Kings as he was going to get big minutes this season. He played in 65 games for the Kings last season and he averaged 30.4 minutes, 12.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocked shot per game. In four years with the Kings, Garcia has played in 290 games (72 starts) in which he has averaged 23.4 minutes, 9.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. This is a big loss for the Kings as Garcia was a player showing steady improvement in his career.

The Kings have lost reserve forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim for the remainder of the season after he underwent surgery on his right knee. This was a lost season for the veteran forward as he played in only 6 games this season and he averaged 1.7 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game. At least the Kings have veterans like Mikki Moore and Kenny Thomas to pick up the minutes that Abdur-Rahim would have gotten.

Ron Artest will miss the next 3-4 weeks as he recovers from elbow surgery. Artest has started 19 games this season for the Kings and he is averaging 19.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.2 steals and 1.0 block per game. The Kings might be able to replace Artest’s offense but they will miss his defense.

The Kings will be without shooting guard Kevin Martin for the next 4-6 weeks with a strained right groin. He has played in 17 games so far this season and he’s averaging 24.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Martin will be replace in the starting lineup by John Salmons who’s already having a good season. Salmons has played in 17 games (8 starts) so far this season and he has averaged 32.6 minutes, 14.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game. Salmons should do a decent job replacing Martin but this will definately hurt the Kings bench.

The Kings have lost starting point guard Mike Bibby for the next 6-10 weeks after he suffered torn ligaments in his left thumb in practice this week. Bibby played in all 82 games last season for the Kings with a bad thumb and he averaged 34.0 minutes, 17.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.1 steals per game. The Kings will attempt to fill Bibby’s role of running the offense with either Quincy Douby or John Salmons. Salmons is the better player right now but Douby has the potential to be a difference maker. Douby played in 42 games (0 starts) last season and he averaged 8.5 minutes, 2.8 points, 0.9 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. Salmons would give the Kings nice size at the point as he stands 6’6″. He played in 79 games (19 starts) last season for the Kings and he averaged 27.0 minutes, 8.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. The Kings will suffer a dropoff in play at the point until Bibby returns.

The nightmare season continues for the Sacramento Kings as Brad Miller and Ron Artest shut it down for the season.  Miller aggravated a previous foot injury.  He had his worst season in a long time but it could be because he was rarely 100% all season long.  He played in 58 games this season and he averaged 9.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. 

Artest injured a hamstring and will likely shut it down as he jokingly took a stab at the team by saying he didn’t know that they were “eliminated” from playoff contention.  He played in 65 games this season and he averaged 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game.  Artest is a good basketball player but he’s just not worth having around as he’s a cancer on a team.  The Kings should get rid of this clown and let their young players take over his minutes.

The Kings will be without Kenny Thomas for 4-6 weeks after aggravating a toe injury in his left foot.  Unless the Kings go deep into the playoffs (which is highly unlikely), Thomas’ season is over.  He averaged 22.8 minutes, 5.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.

Starting center Brad Miller will miss at least 4 weeks after he was diagnosed with torn plantar fascia in his left foot on Monday.  Shareef Abdur-Rahim will slide over from power forward and play center until Miller returns.  Kenny Thomas will play the bulk of the minutes at power forward.

Starting point guard Mike Bibby will miss the first two weeks of the NBA season with “mallet thumb”.  Bibby has a tendon detached from the bone so that he can’t fully extend it.