Domantas Sabonis suffers from a meniscus tear, which will last at least 3 to 4 weeks

This Sacramento Kings season is going from bad to worse as it was revealed that star center Domantas Sabonis suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee. The Lithuanian is expected to miss at least the next three to four weeks and will then be re-evaluated. ESPN’s Shams Charania was the first to report.

Sacramento is currently 3-12 on the season and an extremely confusing mix of a roster looks completely rudderless after this injury. Sabonis is the team’s best player and there isn’t much center depth behind him.

In 11 games, Sabonis averaged 17.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals. However, he is shooting just 51 percent from the field, his lowest mark since his rookie season and nearly 10 percent lower than his last few seasons.

The Kings signed Precious Achiuwa after the season started and he is expected to be around for quite some time. Drew Eubanks is another player expected to take charge in Sabonis’ absence.

Head coach Doug Christie had winning expectations from this group at the start of the season, but that seems like a distant dream.

General manager Scott Perry has some decisions to make now. With Sabonis out until at least Christmas and possibly the New Year, is it time to change and rebuild?

Can Perry embrace the decision that needs to be made?

The decision to be made with this selection is to stare Perry in the face. It simply doesn’t work to have Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schroder, Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan all on the roster.

Yes, there may be limited value that can be recovered for these players. However, the most valuable outcome may be the resulting flexibility. If there are deals that can provide a level of ceiling lighting then that is certainly a starting point.

LaVine is making $47.5 million this season and will likely opt for his player option next season for nearly $49 million. He won’t get that money on the open market, making it harder to find value for it.

DeRozan has a more manageable contract with nearly $25 million guaranteed this season and partially guaranteed through 2026-2027. Which teams are willing to consider him as a viable option at this stage of his career is a big question. His most likely fit is with an organization that is looking for the next phase of a rebuild and wants an experienced voice in the locker room.

With Sabonis, teams will likely want to wait until he’s healthy to consider a move for him. When that time comes, Perry would be wise to be open to offers and start a new era.