De’Aaron Fox Finger Injury Update Brings Good News for Upstart Kings

Most of the time, when players reveal injuries it’s a bad thing. Ailments are never positive, and that goes double when they happen to the best player on the team. However, for the Kings, it actually might provide their fans some much needed relief.

(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

Kings Start Strong Despite Rocky Opener

After starting out a disappointing 1-2 to begin the season, Sacramento has rallied back in a big way to win three out of their last four. They are playing high level basketball, and everything seems to finally be clicking after the rocky beginning.

This isn’t the same team that was struggling to run an offensive set or find their rhythm out of the gate. They look much closer to the NBA playoff squad they have proved themselves to be over the past few seasons.

Kings’ Early 2024-25 NBA Season Stats

Through their first 8 games of the 2024-25 season, the Sacramento Kings have shown solid improvement.

Here’s a quick look at their key performance stats:

*Stats as of November 7

De’Aaron Fox's Finger Injury Revealed

Star guard De’Aaron Fox did report some bad news in the past couple of days. Since the season started, the guard has been taping his pinkie and ring finger on his left shooting hand together.

There has been a lot of speculation about the severity of the injury, with some fans guessing it was a break or serious sprain. Fox quelled those rumors recently after the Kings fell in a tough overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors by explaining the injury, while persistent, is not so serious.

No Fractures for Fox

He received X-rays on the injured digit, all of which came back negative. There are no fractures, but it seemed he dislocated his pinkie during an early training camp practice and it has yet to fully heal. A soft tissue injury might be painful, but it’s nothing to worry about in the long term.

“It’s probably a ligament,” Fox said in an interview. He also went on to further explain that he expects the injury to take a month or so to fully heal. No matter how long it takes, however, he stated that he’ll be able to play through the dislocation.

Several NBA players have played through finger injuries, including other Kings players like Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray. As such, it won’t sideline the shifty guard. That’s good news for the Kings, who need Fox if they want to keep up their winning ways.

A dislocation is also good news because, as long as it stays taped up, there is minimal risk for further injury. Where something like a break could lead to serious complications, he can dribble, shoot, and defend without worry. Sacramento fans have other reasons to celebrate as well.

A Silver Lining - Healing Hand Could Boost Fox's Performance

While Fox being hurt is not ideal, especially with him missing all 11 of his three-point attempts against the Raptors, it does mean that he’s likely only going to get better as his hand heals and the NBA season goes on.

De’Aaron Fox’s Stats for Early NBA 2024-25 Season

First 8 games of the 2024-25 season, De’Aaron Fox has delivered consistent performances and averaging strong points per game.

Here’s a snapshot of his key stats so far:

*Stats as of November 7

Fox’s stats prove he’s still a star

So far, Fox seems to be close to his old all-star self. The shifty guard is averaging 24.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 2.1 steals a game. And that’s with a hurt finger. When the digit heals, he will likely only get better. His assists, which are down a bit, will also likely increase.

The Kings Have Strong Playoff Hopes This Season

The Kings need Fox to be at full health as the season progresses, but him still finding ways to put the ball into the basket despite his injury is an incredibly good sign. The team is in the early playoff picture and look to be a strong contender yet again.

Even if Fox’s current shooting percentage is down, such struggles will fall to the wayside if he keeps putting up good stats and the Kings keep on winning games. He himself backed up that sentiment during an interview.

Fox is Committed to Overcoming His Injury on the Court

There may be some struggles here and there with Fox trying to adapt to the taping or pain, but a bad game here or there isn’t the end of the world. The Kings are on the rebound, and their record will only improve as Fox gets better.

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