October 16: Murray’s extension with the Kings is now official, per the team (link to press release).
“Keegan is one of the most versatile players in the league,” Kings general manager Scott Perry said in a statement. “He’s shown that he can defend multiple positions and efficiently shoot the ball from the perimeter. Keegan is also a young man of high character who reflects the vision we’re shaping in Sacramento.”
October 15: The Kings have agreed to sign Keegan Murray to a five-year, $140MM rookie contract extension, reports Shams Charania for ESPN (via Twitter).
Murray, who turned 25 in August, was the fourth overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Iowa. He holds career averages of 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game on .451/.372/.812 shooting splits.
Murray experienced a breakout sophomore season in 2023/24, averaging 15.2 PPG and 5.5 RPG while recording a steal and nearly a block per game. However, he took a slight step back in his third year last season as Sacramento brought in more offensive firepower around him in DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine.
Murray has shown the potential to be a high-level shooter and wing defender, and spoke recently about his excitement for Dennis Schröder to take on some of the tougher backcourt assignments, which would free him up to defend opposing teams’ best wings and forwards.
He also recently stated his two goals for the season: to hit at least 40% of his threes and to win the league’s Most Improved Player award.
Murray recently underwent surgery to address a torn thumb ligament and is expected to miss four to six weeks.
James Ham of The Kings Beat notes (via Twitter) that Murray is expected to officially sign his new contract in the next 24-to-48 hours, ahead of Monday’s rookie scale extension deadline. ESPN’s Anthony Slater adds (via Twitter) that there are no team or player options on the five-year deal, which will run through 2030/31.
Murray is the sixth player this offseason to agree to a rookie scale extension, joining Magic forward Paolo Banchero, Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr., Heat forward Nikola Jovic, and Thunder teammates Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. He’s now locked into the Kings’ long-term plans, with the longest-running contract on the team.
Kuminga-Murray 1-1 in January then? lol jk
More like Kings are not going after Kuminga now. Not sure what the Kings are doing. Will they try to buy Zach out next year?
No one is after Kuminga… that’s why he’s still in Golden State.
@arc89 You thinkin Zach on something close to the minimum for GSW’s sort of open SG spot? He’s definitely a nice fit, a Jordan Poole-type, that type that won a ring in 2022.
@the_greasy_one – you are wrong and everyone that liked your comment agreed with you being wrong. Plenty of teams are after Kuminga. The Kings, Nets, Suns and Jazz to name a few.
Liking comments really doesn’t mean anything if everyone is big upping objectively incorrect comments. Like, what are we doing here?
“Davey makes very well thought out, advanced comment that is proven correct and true via stats and facts” – 1 upvote
Random hater – “Davey is wrong and dumb. I will not elaborate. Word salad.” 17 upvotes.
Great place you run here, Gary. Makes so much sense!!!
I can elaborate – The Nets had enough cap space to make Kuminga an offer, but they didn’t, instead they traded for MPJ. That proves you’re wrong about them wanting him.
@NBAisOK, the Nets received an unprotected first round pick along with MPJ. That makes the comparison apples to oranges.
Even if Zach gets bought out unlikely he would go to GSW because they wouldn’t be able to provide him minutes. Unless a big injury happens no way he goes to GSW.
Why wouldn’t he start at SG on the Warriors?
He shot 44.6% from three as the 1st option on the Bulls and the 2nd option on the Kings – he’s WAY better than Podz or Moody and would conceivably be the return of Klay playing with Steph’s gravity.
Yeah he would be a starter probably. The problem isnt ZL being good, its the contract. Like most teams dont want to give up 50M+ in contract value for him where you lose more than you gain. On a buyout deal its a bit different. Although some teams still have the full MLE available.
Lavine is a poor defensive player. You couldn’t play him alongside Steph at this stage of Steph’s career (at least, not without adding more perimeter defense to the starting lineup).
Obviously, Podz and Moody are vastly inferior to Lavine offensively, but, IMO, they’re a better fit.
I take Kuminga over Murray for sure. But for Warriors right NOW. Murray is a better fit.
Have y’all been watching the preseason. Kuminga is not that good. He is is not a 3 option. He is a 5th starter or 6th man. Watched the game the other day. As the 2nd option behind Curry he was cutting it. Not flow with hardford. When the big 3 sat. He was even worse. Nobody wants kuminga. It’s why they couldn’t trade him and he took the deal.
The reasons they couldn’t trade him in the offseason are the apron restrictions and the base year compensation rule.
Basing your analysis of his level on a preseason game (rather than his excellent 2nd round in the playoffs vs a good defensive Wolves team) doesn’t make sense.
Bro what are you talking about. How many games did they win against the wolves in the playoffs as the number two man? ZERO. He had no impact on winning meaningless stats. You do know there’s a difference between winning basketball and non-winning basketball right? You do know you can average 19 points per game on a team that wins no games. And play for a contender and barely average five. If you play real basketball you will understand the difference. The warriors play winning basketball.
The fact that you’re sitting here saying it’s two preseason games. Who cares when he’s not? Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Wendy or any player that is just getting themselves in the shape and trying out new moves. He’s a player that’s actually supposed to show improvement this year and show that he’s worthy of being a number three option on a team and work the contract he was trying to get. They have given him the opportunity and he hasn’t shown it. Matter of fact when he was on the floor he wasn’t doing anything. The moment he gets off the floor the team starts winning. I literally watched the whole game. I have league pass. He is not that good. You’re either a warriors fan or just a fan of a player, but truth is truth.
@Buying buckets
“How many games did they win against the wolves in the playoffs as the number two man? ZERO.”
Weird. The team is based on Curry’s presence, and Butler, Podz and Moody were playing hurt. Given that context, why do you think it’s relevant to Kuminga’s level as a player that they didn’t win any of the 4 games without Steph?
Kerr didn’t even start him once in that series, and he only avgd the 5th most minutes in that series at 27.4 min/gm (outscoring Butler despite avging 11.4 fewer min/gm), and still had the 2nd best +/- on the team. maybe if (as Legler said after the series) Kerr had started him and played him 38 minutes/gm, they might have won a game or two.
You just want to argue so I’m not going to go back and forth.
No they wouldn’t. Butler one is 35. I have countless time stated the fall off of player around 34. No need to go into this. Butler is not a 1a player and not the guy going to avg 25 in a series. But he controls the game in other ways. 2nd butler was hurt.
Now on to kamanga because y’all have a love affair with him. I’ll go over this again. What elite skill set does he possess?
Athleticism will only get you so far. Not a great shooter. Not a great playmaker? Doesn’t rebound well. Okay at getting his own shot. So you see he is what we call a jack of all trades. You may be able to get away with that in high school and especially in pickup basketball but in elite basketball you can not. Second he doesn’t have a personal role. If you asked me what my role my game is I can name of 2 or 3 things I can contribute to a team. We can name that for him. So to play the amount of basketball and playoff games he has he is what he is. Again he can get better but he is not going to turn into an all star.
Instead of coming back with more this and that answer what is his role on any team trading for him and What elite skills NBA skills does he posses. What system would he fit in and what options would you run with him for him to be successful?
You’re judging him based on playing extremely limited minutes compared to his peers in his draft class.
If you use per 36, he was at 22 pts last season with 9.3 rpg, 4.4 ast 1.6 stl and and 0.9 blks. That’s evidence that he actually rebounds well (and better than Wiggins was per 36 last season in all those categories)
And just having turned 23, he’s likely to get better, so IMO there’s a lot of teams that could figure out how to use him. Time will tell if he gets starter minutes somewhere and ends up an allstar.
Your not answering the question. Tracy mcgrady didn’t get much time. I can name a whole bunch of players who started as backups. Kobe Bryant a bunch of others but they had skill sets that you seen was going to translate with getting more minutes and working on fundamentals to add to that.
So again I don’t want to hear PR stats. He doesn’t have the stats of his peers because he’s playing on a winning team and playing winning basketball.
So again please tell me what he is elite at?
What’s your definition of the word “elite”?
He’s both an elite scorer and rebounder, as will be shown when he gets to play 36 min/gm somewhere.
Just from you saying that you have no idea about NBA or probably college basketball. This is not pick-up ball. So hopefully you can humble yourself and learn.
Elite skill set is something you are top tier at. Superstar are elite at 4/5 things. Role players 1/2. 14/15-1 thing.
There are two more types of professional players twinners and jack of all trades.
Twinners are players with an elite skill set but do not have a position . A point guard that can score but can’t playmake or guard 2. A power forward that can’t rebound or space the floor but can’t guard centers. Draymond Green was a twinner however his elite defense and passing turned him into in all time great. That’s rear.
Jack of all trades- this is what kuminga is. This type of player is not elite at one skill but good ay multiple things. Let’s take the Knicks Mathews and Shamet. Shamet is a jack of all trades really good at multiple things but elite at one skill. Mathews has 1 elite skill his shooting and not really great at other things. Player who learn to maximize other skills Duncan Robinson (elite shooter who learned how to become a pretty good cutter and screener) get 2nd and 3rd really good skill
Now to kamanga. Not really sure you actually watch games or maybe you don’t know what you’re looking for but elite and scorer is fair from what he is. He is actually a hurrable rebounder (no box out or position mechanics) His elite skill is his athleticism and that is the one skill that fades with age. He however is good and multiple things shooting (not great) getting to the rim, plays defense and those qualities are going to keep him in the NBA for 10 years.
So I never said he is not a good player with potential. What I said was his pride and camp had him thinking he is a 100 million dollar player and he is not. He doesn’t have an elite skill.
Preseason Kerr just showcased him with out Curry and Butler to be a 1 option and with Curry for a two option. It didn’t look that good. He is a 5/6 option right now. He needs to find a role and figure out what he can provide a team. I hope he does. But right now it’s a little this and that.
You don’t know his game. Thats what you have shown. You don’t have to like him. Why do you think we have to believe you. You will see the real JK when he leaves this team.
@AL
I root for every young men to live there fullest potential And succeed. That’s not just with basketball that everything in life. That doesn’t mean we don’t live in truth. And sometimes truth will help you grow. The truth is I do know his game, most people here know his game because we have seen it for 4 years. The problem is people are in denial. I mean I said about Westbrook And the ending of his career. Same thing LeBron fans are doing by not understanding. He’s not a top 10 NBA player anymore. I never said he wasn’t talented or he won’t find some type of NBA role.
You’re saying I don’t know his game but I’ve asked 3 times for y’all to name his elite NBA skill? And nobody can. So if you don’t have an elite skill that you do outside of athleticism. How is he going to be a third or fourth option? How is he going to get 100 million contract and what team and role will change that?
Same with Muarry he is not a 3 or 4th option. He is 5th option unless its on a bad team.
The thing about Murry is we don’t know. He might be a 3rd option. Or be able to develop into one. The problem is the Sacramento Kings bringing in Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan because they are not developing and drafting correctly. They’re treating their team like it’s NBA 2K and I don’t think they understand anything about player personnel. I would definitely say he’s definitely not a one or two option, but I think maybe he can be a three or four
everything you say is the same thing you can say about many players including Kuminga. Potential is in a lot of players. He doesn’t have the skills to be a offnsive star. More of a multiple tool player. He is upside is a Bruce Bowen or a Tony Allen. I am much more impressed with Portland’s young future star in Camara. His defense is better and if he can get a offense game going he is a future star.
Kamanga playing off minimum potential. At a certain point in your career you are what you are. That doesn’t mean you get better but your not going to go from 6th man to all star. You can go from 6th man to a decent starter. I don’t see a Star either but 3rd option would be highlight of his career. But 4/5 good is his average. He will diff be better then Bruce Brown. Brown was a 3/d player. Tony Allen is a top 50 defender all time just no jump shot. So they are Apples and oranges.
We’re I will agree is if he doesn’t get out of Sac it may hurt his development because he needs the ball in his hand.
SUPER BOWL BABY
Oh Scott Perry… foolish of me to put my faith in you.
He’s a good player, but the roster horribly constructed, and doesn’t suit him at all
I mean he IS who they should build around. Nix the entire roster aside him from though.
Yikes
Wow
Typo … I really don’t think he is averaging 15.6 boards per game lol
Kings think he is, which is why he is their starting PF
I guess with the cap going up this won’t look as bad in a few years. Still, for a franchise stuck in mediocrity to spend close to 30MM for a guy with seemingly little untapped upside and who is only solid, not great, as a shooter and defender…meh.
Is he better or worse than Quickley?
I assume this is meant to be sarcastic? Basing the value of other players on a single flawed datapoint is silly. I know agents have to try and do that because that’s their job, but that shouldn’t factor in when it comes to an extension.
link to youtube.com
Na man this team is trash and a dumpster fire
that’s a good deal for the kings
He’s still got plenty of room to develop further. His patchy last few seasons aren’t entirely on him – while his 3pt shooting has taken a step back, it’s probably due to the fact that the Kings have arguably the worst floor spacing in the NBA, and probably the worst roster construction. He has been surrounded by ball-dominant guys that defenders have zero respect for beyond the arc – it’s hard to get good looks off the back of that.
I would have liked to see him get out of Sacramento though, and have a chance to develop in somewhere that isn’t a complete dumpster-fire.
Good points. Admittedly, I haven’t looked at his underlying metrics: % on open threes, % of open threes, etc. It’s entirely possible his numbers would look better on a sanely constructed team.
That said, he was an older player coming out of the draft so there wasn’t the expectation of significant upside to begin with. And he hasn’t shown anything in terms of putting the ball on the floor or making plays for others. But if he can simply take the shooting to another level that would be great.
Great points and I am glad we agree 100% that the Kings are constructed absolutely terribly. If anything this is one moderately positive move, but the next move should be to churn the entire roster including Sabonis.
Never thought I’d agree with you Davey, but you’re spot on here.
You will find yourself agreeing with my hoops takes more often as you understand I know hoops. And their associated rumors. A lot better than a lot of the posters here, even!
The decline in his 3 pt shooting isn’t due to floor spacing, but to the fact the league figured how to defend him. You play him to shoot, not drive. It’s that simple. It’s been the knock on him since college. Same with his twin brother.
Funny how the twins shoot with different hands lols.
@Cam- the argument that a team has poor floor spacing is not a defense for poor 3-point shooting performance in this version of the NBA.
If you can’t create space for your own shot, you’re not a 3rd offensive option. That’s the rap on Keegan Murray. Stay attached to him and he won’t hurt you.
@Shea- you got it with the problem putting the ball on the floor. Watch some Kings games and you’ll see. He just can’t do it, and at this point nobody should expect that to change.
Murray is what he is: a very solid defensive player with little offensive upside.
Prediction: He’ll be a 3rd-4th option on an 11th place team for the next 6 years. Harrison Barnes 2.0
Saying floor spacing doesn’t have an impact on 3pt shooting in todays NBA might be one of the worst arguments I’ve seen on here. It’s absolutely critical – your other points regarding Murray are valid, but they don’t invalidate the rest.
Definitely a overpay
It’s not a over pay. He has potential. The problem is the rest of the roster. They need to gut the full team but they won’t because they are the kings. Shouldn’t have got livine or DeRozan.
Realistically 18m per year is perfect. These guys are making too much
I agree he has potential. He is 26 and the rest of roster is either much older or much younger than him. He is stuck in the middle.
Plus he is a SF strictly and not a PF. 6’7
Play him at PF and watch the Patrick Williams type of improvement happen
He’s worth more than Giddey or Suggs. I think 25 mill a yr for three years. Would have been a better deal for Kings. I don’t watch him a lot. So I don’t have a strong opinion about it. If you invest in him. Then you need him at his best position. Thats SF ….. with Sabonis at the 4. With a rim protector in the middle.
I know this. Scot Perry was a brown noser to Dolan. He never helped the Knicks long term. He was always about his job. Glad he left …..
I agree he is worth more than Giddey or Suggs. I honestly don’t like both those guys too
I can tell that you haven’t watched him much.
His level is clearly far below Giddey’s overall, even considering his better defense.
I agree with this statement. I think suggs is the best of the three, however with his injury history it’s really hard to pay him
You don’t necessarily need to be a really good player, you just need a bad GM.
Hear that lol ….. ha ha good one
Na does not deserve it. 8th man on any other team
I wouldn’t say that, he is a starter on almost every team but a 3-4 option.
Too much for a third option. They either need to fix the team in 2 seasons or move him. Not winning with Demar and Lavine, should move 1 of them if anyone wants them. I don’t even think Sabonis is a #1
This is a play in team though, maybe they get lucky in lottery. The lottery in the new format shows you don’t have to be the 3 worst to get a top 5 pick.
If anything, this new lottery system shows that you need a good narrative more than a bad team.
Start Dario at PF
Kuminga is reading this thinking “Why did I get drafted by GS?”, lol.
Now let’s see how much Mathurin gets.
@aristotle
“@NBAisOK, the Nets received an unprotected first round pick along with MPJ. That makes the comparison apples to oranges.”
How does that fact change my point, which is that the Nets didn’t want Kuminga (or they would have given him an offer sheet)? The season was over on June 23rd. They knew Kuminga was available when they made the trade (on July 8th).
@NBAisOK,
Logically, we can know only one thing based on available information: that the Nets valued possessing the rights to Kuminga less than the combination of the rights to MPJ and an unprotected first round pick.
In other words, we cannot know that the Nets didn’t want or value Kuminga at all, as your phrasing suggests. We can only know they valued him less than another group of assets that was available to them.
Did he have to use the hand that didnt have the injured thumb to sign? Lol