Sydney coach Andrew Gaze has all but ruled out star import Steve Blake returning to the NBL this season.
The Kings granted the American indefinite leave on compassionate grounds this week to return to home to be with sick family member.
Gaze said he had no confidence the 36-year-old former Los Angeles Lakers guard would return.
"The high probability is he won't be back," Gaze told EON Sports Radio.
"We're hopeful that he may be, but I think it's going to be a difficult one."
Blake played 10 games with the Kings, averaging less than six points off the bench as he struggled to find his once-deadly shooting stroke.
The franchise's managing director Jeff Van Groningen this week rejected any suggestion his departure had anything to do with basketball, saying it was purely family-related.
"We've got to give him time. We've got to give him some space," Gaze said.
"He needs to work through the issues that he's confronting and we are 100 per cent supportive of that.
"But it's certainly unlikely that it'll be solved in the short term."
His exit leaves the Kings with Kevin Lisch, Jason Cadee and Brad Newley as the only players who can play guard, weakening the team's grip on top spot on the NBL ladder ahead of Sunday's away clash with Illawarra.
Sydney's record stands at 8-6, having lost five of their past eight games.
"We'll just have to do our best and make sure we've got guys who can step in a provide some opportunities ... and play some players in different spots and remain relatively injury-free from here on out," Gaze said.
"We've got great depth and think we can cover Steve in the short-term.
"But clearly, if you lose another one, it makes it a little bit more challenging."
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