LAS VEGAS – Tyler Honeycutt would like to be out on the basketball court. But a stress fracture in his right foot has kept him sidelined, sitting out the Sacramento Kings Summer League schedule.
“I guess it’s a pretty common injury,” said the second-year small forward. “I guess it’s just one of those things that just happened.
“I’ve gained a few pounds since the end of last season,” he continued. “So I think that has something to do with it because I got a stress fracture in my (right) shin one time at UCLA the same way. I’m guessing that’s what happened.”
Honeycutt says the break didn’t occur from anything in particular. The 22-year-old wing says he had a feeling something was wrong after the pain in his foot continued to nag him. Doctors in Sacramento broke the bad news to Honeycutt after an X-ray turned up positive.
“Everybody has little pains and I thought that this was going to go away,” said Honeycutt before Monday’s Summer League game versus the Houston Rockets. “But it didn’t and I was playing on it (for) about two weeks.”
Before the injury, Honeycutt was working on everything from ball-handling to his strength and shooting. He says Kings’ coaches want him to work on his shooting from particular spots on the floor and become better defensively.
“They want me to come in and be one of our best wing defenders,” he said.
Unable to play in full contact drills, Honeycutt hopes to be back on the court full-time no longer than two weeks. Until then, he remains cleared for limited physical activity, which include shooting and light running.
Alex English on Kings’ Summer League bigs
Hassan Whiteside’s departure has opened up opportunities for the big men on the Kings’ Summer League roster. Assistant Coach Alex English has been particularly impressed by one of the team’s oldest players.
“Darnell Jackson’s been pretty good,” said English on Monday. “He’s kind of changed the pace of the game defensively for us when he’s been in the game. Kind of closed up the middle for us.”
English also mentions he likes what he’s seen from forward Yancy Gates in limited action.
“He hadn’t been with us but a game in a half,” said English. “So we haven’t really had an opportunity to look at him. We’ll get a chance to see him more now that he’ll be able to get more playing time, so we’re looking forward to that.”
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