Domantas Sabonis was cleared from his day-to-day designation on the Kings' injury report Friday at 7:46 PM ET, just minutes before Sacramento's season opener at San Antonio. He is no longer listed with any status restriction heading into that game.
What happened
The Kings cleared Domantas Sabonis on Friday, Oct. 16 at 7:46 PM ET, removing the day-to-day tag he had carried into that night's opener against the Spurs, which tipped at 8 PM ET. No detail or report comment accompanied the clearance. It is the third swing in his status this preseason cycle: he was day-to-day with a left knee and leg issue on Sept. 6, cleared on Sept. 23, then listed day-to-day again on Oct. 8 for an undisclosed, other issue before Friday's clearance. No expected return date has been announced, since none is needed now that he is cleared.
What it means for the Kings
Sacramento opens its 2026-27 season at the Spurs on Oct. 16 at 8 PM ET, and the team record sits at 0-0 with the season not yet underway. Last season, Sabonis averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 29.7 minutes across 19 games, numbers the Kings get back at full strength for the opener. Without him on the floor in box scores, Keegan Murray (34.5 min, 14.0 pts), Zach LaVine (31.4 min, 19.2 pts) and DeMar DeRozan (31.2 min, 18.4 pts) led the minutes load, with Russell Westbrook, Maxime Raynaud, Dennis Schroder, Daeqwon Plowden and De'Andre Hunter also seeing extended run. There is no record with or without him yet, since no regular-season games have been played.
What to watch
The next injury report will show whether Sabonis holds his cleared status through the opener and beyond. No expected return timeline applies since he is no longer sidelined. Elsewhere on Sacramento's report, Maxime Raynaud is out with a right knee and leg injury, Malik Monk is day-to-day with a left ankle and leg issue, and Dylan Cardwell is out with a left calf and leg injury, all worth tracking as the Kings open their season.
Is Domantas Sabonis playing at Spurs tonight?
He was cleared from the Kings' injury report on Oct. 16 at 7:46 PM ET, removing his day-to-day status ahead of the 8 PM ET opener at San Antonio.
When will Sabonis be back?
He is already back. The day-to-day designation he carried into the opener was lifted on Oct. 16, and no further absence has been announced.