Kings' De'Aaron Fox: Expected to play Tuesday

Coach Luke Walton said he expects Fox (ankle) to play Tuesday against the Hornets, barring any setbacks, James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.

The third-year point guard looked like he could be out through the 2019 portion of the Kings' schedule after suffering a severe left ankle sprain Nov. 11, so a five-week absence is about the best Fox's fantasy managers could have hoped for. The Kings probably won't make Fox's availability for Tuesday official until after morning shootaround that day, but expect him to check back into the starting lineup if cleared to play, albeit with a minutes restriction likely in place. Prior to getting hurt, Fox was averaging 18.2 points (on 43% shooting from the field), 7.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 three-pointers in 32.0 minutes per game.