Sabonis out for Kings season opener with Grade 1 hamstring strain

Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis will miss the start of the regular season after suffering a hamstring strain during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Oct. 15 at Golden 1 Center, the team said Saturday. An MRI showed a Grade 1 hamstring strain, and the Kings said Sabonis will be reevaluated in one week, effectively ruling him out of Sacramento's season opener at Phoenix on Wednesday and the home opener against Utah on Friday.

Sabonis exited Wednesday's 109-91 loss to the Clippers with 5:40 remaining in the third quarter and did not return. He finished with 15 points, 14 rebounds and five assists in 24 minutes before leaving the game. Coach Doug Christie acknowledged the significance of the loss, saying, "Listen, your star player goes down, you never want to see that, period," and added he had no immediate update on the injury's severity following the game.

The absence of Sabonis compounds frontcourt concerns for the Kings, who already expect to be without starter Keegan Murray after he underwent surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. The team has said Murray will miss at least four to six weeks. With both starters...