Sacramento Kings sign G League standout to 10-day contract with Sabonis out due to injury
The Sacramento Kings are bringing back a familiar face to fill a roster spot with All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis out due to injury.
A league source told The Sacramento Bee the Kings are signing Skal Labissiere of the G League Stockton Kings to a 10-day contract, confirming a report from ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Labissiere started his career in Sacramento after coming out of Kentucky as the 28th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft. The Kings acquired Labissiere in a draft day trade with the Phoenix Suns.
Labissiere, 28, is a 6-foot-11 power forward and center who last played in the NBA for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2019-20. The Kings need depth at center with Sabonis expected to be out for at least a week after an MRI showed he suffered a grade 1 left hamstring strain in Saturday’s 113-103 victory over the Houston Rockets.
Labissiere is coming off a recent appearance in the NBA G Legue Up Next Game as a part of All-Star Weekend. He is averaging 13.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 blocks in 16 games for G League Stockton while shooting 64.7% from the field and 41.7% from 3-point range on 1.5 attempts per game.
Labissiere played for the Kings from 2016-19 before he was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for Caleb Swanigan. Labissiere averaged 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in 106 games for Sacramento.
Labissiere could provide backup minutes behind Jonas Valanciunas with Sabonis out of the lineup. Sabonis suffered a grade 1 left hamstring strain in the opening minutes of Saturday’s 113-103 victory over the Houston Rockets. He will be reevaluated in one week.
