Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine undergo surgery, season over for Kings stars
Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine underwent surgery Wednesday and will miss the remainder of the season, officially closing the book on a disastrous year for the Sacramento Kings’ two highest-paid players.
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The Sacramento Kings lose their two stars for the rest of the season. Domantas Sabonis and Zach LaVine both underwent surgery on Wednesday, officially ending their 2025-2026 season. A logical decision for a team that holds the worst record in the NBA with 12 wins and 44 losses.
A meniscus injury lingering since November for Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. The 29-year-old Lithuanian center had been suffering from this injury since mid-November and initially attempted non-surgical rehabilitation, missing 27 games in the process.
Returning to the court in January, Sabonis had only played 19 games this season, averaging 15.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. His lowest statistics since the 2018-2019 season. The team confirmed that the operation went well and that the three-time All-Star will be reevaluated before the start of training camp.
Meanwhile, Zach LaVine underwent surgery on a tendon in his right pinky finger. The 30-year-old guard, the Kings’ leading scorer with 19.2 points per game in 39 games, had missed the last three games before the All-Star break due to this hand injury.
Domantas Sabonis and Zach Lavine are out for the remainder of the season, per @ShamsCharania
Sabonis underwent season-ending surgery to repair his torn meniscus, while LaVine is undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a tendon injury in his hand pic.twitter.com/loPRvTFBPx
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 18, 2026
An acknowledged rebuilding strategy
Mired in a 14-game losing streak, the Kings sit at the bottom of the NBA standings with their playoff hopes long gone. That reality helps explain the decision to shut both stars down for surgery now rather than pushing for a late-season return in a lost year.
Both players surfaced in trade chatter ahead of the deadline, but Sacramento ultimately found no deals it deemed worthwhile. Sabonis still has two years left on his contract, worth $94 million, while LaVine holds a $48.9 million player option for next season — one he is widely expected to pick up.
New general manager Scott Perry is expected to restart discussions regarding potential trades this summer, as the franchise now aims for the best possible pick in the upcoming draft.
With a background in sports management, Nicolas Flamecourt covers NBA news with a particular passion for the North American league, which he has been following for several years. He also covers the NCAA, including news and scouting of future prospects, and regularly conducts interviews with French players as well as players competing in Europe.
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