Keegan Murray’s uneven start has become one of the quieter problems hanging over the Kings, and the picture on the floor hasn’t helped much. What fans have seen so far has been underwhelming in both the preseason and the regular season, even with Murray still working his way back from injury.
The bigger issue may be that Sacramento hasn’t given him much stability to lean on. The Kings kept shuffling the starting five throughout the preseason, and the only time the projected lineup all played together was in the final exhibition, a blowout loss to the Spurs. That kind of churn can make it tough for anyone to find a rhythm, and Murray seems to have felt it.
His role has also been anything but settled. Murray has mostly been used at power forward, though he does see time at small forward.
When Ben Simmons held the starting power forward spot, it looked as if Murray might settle in as the full-time small forward. Then that changed too.
With Simmons out injured this season, Murray could move back to power forward or remain at small forward, and that uncertainty comes on top of the fact that he missed most of last season.
That lost season already put him behind schedule. He was expected by many to make a leap, but injuries limited him to 23 games in 2025-2026. At this point, the concern around Sacramento is less about one cold stretch and more about how much his game has regressed.
The preseason didn’t ease those worries. Murray appeared in three of the five games and didn’t make much of an imprint, finishing with 18 points and four rebounds in 44 minutes. The regular season has not looked much better.
For now, the hope is simple: give the Kings a steady starting five and a settled rotation, and Murray might start to heat up. But if the structure improves and he still can’t find his footing, Sacramento may have to take a hard look at whether he still fits where they’re headed.
In Other News...
Sabonis Is Doing Something Historic For The Kings Already
Domantas Sabonis has wasted no time putting his imprint on Sacramentos season, piling up rebounds at a pace the league has never seen in the post-merger era. Through the first three games, he has grabbed 52 boards to break Moses Malones old mark of 49, while also setting the tone as the Kings most important offensive connector. Even in an early stretch marked by losses, Sabonis has been doing the kind of work that keeps Sacramento organized and dangerous.
What makes the start even more notable is that the big mans production has not been limited to the glass. He is leading the league in rebounds per game and in assists for the Kings, and he has done it while showing improved shooting percentages from last season. For a team still looking to turn effort into results, Sabonis has already been everything the Kings could ask for, and maybe a little more. [Read more 🡒]
Zach LaVine Just Exposed An Early Kings Problem
After an 0-3 start, the early frustration around Sacramento has already gone beyond missed shots and defensive miscues. Zach LaVines comments pointed to a bigger issue inside the locker room: a team still trying to settle in, with the acclimation process not yet giving the Kings a clear sense of direction from the front office, the coaching staff or the veterans expected to steady things.
The larger concern is whether the pieces Sacramento has invested in are actually being used in a way that matches the plan. There has been a noticeable disconnect between draft capital and in-game decisions, including limited run for recent first-round picks, and LaVines point about veteran leadership only sharpened the conversation. In his view, teams need a voice and a structure to lean on, and right now the Kings are still searching for both. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Are Already Facing A Worrying Early Season Pattern
The early-season concerns for Sacramento are starting to pile up in a hurry. In a 123-112 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, the Kings dropped their third straight game, and this one followed a familiar script: Zach LaVine carried the offense with 37 points, but the rest of the night was defined by missed chances and the kind of slippage that can erase a strong scoring performance.
Memphis kept punishing Sacramento on the glass and off turnovers, turning those mistakes into 30 second-chance points. The bigger-picture concern is how little room there seems to be for experimentation this early, with rookie Nique Clifford not playing at all and the rotation already looking tight, which makes the Kings search for answers feel even more urgent. [Read more 🡒]