Another twist in Sacramento’s chaotic season. And this time, it comes with ice packs and question marks. The Kings have dropped a fresh injury update on rookie guard Devin Carter, whose recent shoulder issue is now raising concerns far beyond just the next game. Why? Because it comes at a time when Sacramento is juggling contract decisions, trade speculations, and a playoff spot that is barely dangling by a thread.

Late March. Kings vs. Magic. Devin Carter had just checked in. A minute later, he was off again. It looked minor—a bump, a bruise, a bit of soreness. But when the rookie guard sat out the rest of the game and was later listed as day-to-day with a right shoulder contusion, fans started paying closer attention.

Carter didn’t feature against Cleveland. Then came the official word from the Kings’ medical staff that he remains questionable for the upcoming game against the Charlotte Hornets. To be fair, a few missed games in a rookie season aren’t that big of a deal. But it’s what this moment represents that matters. The timing of his shoulder injury coincides with much larger questions about Sacramento’s future, namely, what to do with Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan.

As the Kings weigh their next steps with a combined $259.8M committed to Sabonis and DeRozan over the coming years, even minor injuries within the roster become magnified. And for Carter, who was starting to flash real promise (16 points in 31 minutes vs. Cleveland on March 20), the halt in momentum adds another speed bump in his development. “You can’t coast in thinking, ‘Oh, we’ll get to the play-in and then turn it on,’” interim coach Doug Christie said after a recent loss. “You have to play at a certain intensity level… and I have not been able to stamp that the way I want to.”