Keegan Murray’s value to the Sacramento Kings starts with something simple: when he’s on the floor, he gives them a little bit of everything.
That’s why his health looms so large heading into 2026. The Kings are bringing back a good chunk of the 2025 roster, along with a few additions aimed at giving the group more depth. But the season only works if the key pieces are available, and Murray was one of the players who had a hard time staying on the court in 2025, along with DeAndre Hunter, Domantas Sabonis, and Zach LaVine.
Murray’s path to this point began at Iowa, where he spent two seasons with the Hawkeyes in 2020 and 2021. His college production was steady and productive across the board. He averaged 15.8 points, seven rebounds, one assist, 1.6 blocks, and 1.1 steals per game, while shooting 54.3 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from three, and 74.9 percent from the free-throw line.
That kind of consistency made him an easy fit for the NBA. The Kings took him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, and he has rewarded that trust by becoming a reliable piece over his first four seasons in Sacramento.
So far in the NBA, Murray has put up 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.8 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game. He’s also been efficient enough to matter as a scorer, hitting 44.7 percent from the field, 36.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 80.7 percent from the line.
His impact isn’t limited to offense, either. Murray has developed into a solid defender, using his 6-8, 225-pound frame to bother shots on the perimeter and around the rim, while also making opponents work to move the ball around his length.
The big issue is availability. Murray played just 23 games because of an ankle injury, and the Kings need that to be the outlier, not the norm. With a full offseason behind him, he should be ready for training camp and for the kind of reps with the other four starters that could help Sacramento look sharper in 2026 than it did in 2025.
If Murray stays healthy and keeps giving the Kings production on both ends, he gives them a real chance to play more consistently and stay in the mix for the play-in tournament.
In Other News...
Kings Interest In Jalen Duren Just Got A Lot More Serious
Jalen Durens contract situation in Detroit has suddenly become one of the more interesting plot lines on Sacramentos radar. After declining a five-year offer from the Pistons, he is now in a stalemate with the team as Thursdays deadline to accept a one-year qualifying offer approaches. For the Kings, that only sharpens the appeal of a big man who has already drawn mutual interest from Sacramento, whether through a trade or a future free-agent pursuit.
The catch is the same one that has shadowed Sacramentos pursuit from the start: the Kings do not have the cap room to sign Duren to a max deal right now. So the focus has turned to creating a path, and that has reportedly included exploring a Domantas Sabonis trade to clear the necessary space. If Sacramento can get that flexibility, Duren becomes a much more realistic target either before or during the 2026 season, or when he reaches free agency in 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Kings New-Look Roster Is Already Fueling A Brutal 2026-27 Debate
On The Matt George Podcast, Josh Lloyd of Locked On Fantasy Basketball took a long look at where the Kings could be headed in 2026-27, and his read was not exactly comforting. He pointed to the possibility of defensive issues lingering on a roster that is still trying to sort out its identity, even as the front office adds new pieces and hopes the fit improves.
Lloyd also raised questions about whether newcomers Darius Acuff Jr. and DeAndre Hunter will live up to the expectations attached to them, which only adds to the uncertainty around Sacramentos next step. And if the Kings do decide Domantas Sabonis is part of the answer they want to move off of, Lloyd suggested they may have to be more realistic about the trade return than they would like. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Final Two-Way Spot May Be Down To One Young Guard
The Kings have brought Tristen Newton into 2024 training camp, putting the former UConn guard squarely in the mix for one of the team's two-way openings. Newton arrives with a G League-heavy resume and some real pedigree, since he was a 2024 second-round pick by the Pacers before Sacramento picked up his rights in a trade involving the Stockton Kings.
For a roster still sorting out its final developmental spot, Newton is the kind of player worth a long look: young, experienced in the G League grind, and familiar enough to the organization through the Stockton connection. He also went on to earn All-NBA G League First Team honors in 2026, which only adds to the intrigue around whether the Kings see him as the right fit for that last two-way slot. [Read more 🡒]