Kings vs. Pistons: Detroit trades Monte Morris; Cunningham and Bogdanovic injury updates

The Kings find themselves in a tightly bunched group of four teams vying for two automatic playoff berths with 32 games remaining in the regular season.

Kings coach Mike Brown, All-NBA center Domantas Sabonis and veteran forward Harrison Barnes all pointed out how much every game counts when the Kings wrapped up a long road trip Monday night in Cleveland. That means they have to take care of business when they open a brief two-game homestand against the down-and-out Detroit Pistons on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center.

The Kings (29-20) are fifth in the Western Conference, percentage points ahead of the Phoenix Suns. The New Orleans Pelicans are just a half-game back in seventh with the Dallas Mavericks two games back in eighth.

The Pistons (6-43) are last in the Eastern Conference with the worst record in the NBA. They lost an NBA-record-tying 28 consecutive games from Oct. 30 to Dec. 28.

Sacramento is again listing forward Sasha Vezenkov as questionable due to a right ankle sprain. Vezenkov has missed the past seven games after suffering the injury in a Jan. 22 win over the Atlanta Hawks.

The Pistons have injury concerns of their own. The team’s two leading scorers, Cade Cunningham (left knee injury management) and Bojan Bogdanovic (left calf soreness), are both questionable. Big man Isaiah Stewart (left ankle sprain) is out.

Scouting Sacramento

The Kings have won six of eight since suffering a four-game losing streak. They went 5-2 on their recent seven-game road trip, which ended with a 136-110 loss to the surging Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday.

De’Aaron Fox is averaging 27.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.8 steals. He is tied for ninth in the NBA in scoring.

Sabonis averages 19.7 points, a league-high 13.1 rebounds and 8.2 assists. He has recorded 15 triple-doubles and 32 consecutive double-doubles. Sabonis leads in the NBA in double-doubles (45) and is tied with Nikola Jokic for the league lead in triple-doubles.

Keegan Murray is averaging 15.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.1 steals as he prepares to return to the Rising Stars tournament at All-Star Weekend. Malik Monk is among the top Sixth Man of the Year candidates, averaging 14.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists.

Scouting Detroit

The Pistons are coming off a 111-99 loss to the Orlando Magic on Sunday. They have lost three in a row and four of their last five.

Cunningham, a former No. 1 draft pick, is averaging 22.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 7.5 assists. Bogdanovic averages 20.2 points per game. Jaden Ivey is averaging 14.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists.

Jaden Ivey, the No. 5 pick in the 2022 draft, is putting up 14.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. Center Jalen Duren has been good, too, averaging 13.9 points, 11.6 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Alec Burks (12.3 ppg), Stewart (11.0 ppg, 6.8 rpg) and Ausar Thompson (8.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg) are also playing key roles. Thompson had a career-high 22 points against the Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 20 and 17 points in Sunday’s loss to the Magic.

Pistons make trade

The Pistons reportedly made a trade Wednesday sending veteran point guard Monte Morris to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Sources told The Athletic the Pistons are trading Morris to the Timberwolves in exchange for Shake Milton, Troy Brown Jr. and a second-round draft pick.

Status updates

▪ The Kings have cleared Vezenkov to return against the Pistons.

▪ The Pistons have ruled Cunningham and Bogdanovic out.

Pistons at Kings

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Golden 1 Center

TV: NBC Sports California

Radio: Sactown Sports 1140

Odds: Kings -12.5

Over/under: 243.5

Injury report

Pistons: QUESTIONABLE — Bojan Bogdanovic (calf); Cade Cunningham (knee). OUT — Malcolm Cazalon (G League); Jared Rhoden (G League); Isaiah Stewart (ankle); Stanley Umude (G League).

Kings: QUESTIONABLE — Sasha Vezenkov (ankle). OUT — Jordan Ford (G League); Jalen Slawson (G League).

Upcoming schedule

Feb. 7 vs. Detroit Pistons

Feb. 9 vs. Denver Nuggets

Feb. 11 at Oklahoma City Thunder

Feb. 13 at Phoenix Suns

Feb. 14 at Denver Nuggets