The Sacramento Kings are in a tough spot, and Keegan Murray isn’t sugarcoating it.
Sitting at 6-20, tied with the Clippers for the second-worst record in the Western Conference, the Kings are feeling the weight of a season that’s spiraling fast. Only the New Orleans Pelicans, at 5-22, have a worse mark - and even they’ve shown a pulse lately with a two-game win streak.
For Murray, who helped end Sacramento’s infamous playoff drought just two seasons ago, this kind of losing isn’t just frustrating - it’s unfamiliar territory.
“It sucks,” Murray said bluntly during a practice interview with Sactown 1140 AM, ahead of the Kings’ matchup with the Trail Blazers. And that wasn’t just a heat-of-the-moment comment. The former All-Rookie First Team selection opened up about how this season has challenged him in ways he’s never experienced before.
“I haven't been on a team that has lost this many games in I don't even know how long. Even in high school and college. So it's not ideal,” he admitted.
And he’s not exaggerating. Murray’s basketball résumé is filled with success.
From dominating at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids - where he earned Metro Player of the Year honors - to sharpening his game at DME Academy in Florida, Murray’s path to the NBA was paved with winning. At Iowa, under the steady hand of Fran McCaffrey, Murray got used to March Madness, not 20-loss seasons.
That winning mentality carried over into his rookie year in the league. Murray played a key role in Sacramento's breakthrough 2022-23 campaign, when the Kings snapped their 16-year playoff drought under then-head coach Mike Brown. It was a feel-good story that electrified the city and gave fans real hope for the future.
But fast forward to now, and that momentum has vanished.
Brown has since moved on - even winning an NBA Cup title with the New York Knicks - while the Kings have turned to franchise legend Doug Christie to steer the ship. The results so far?
Rough. Sacramento’s defense has been inconsistent, the offense lacks rhythm, and the losses are stacking up.
For Murray, it’s been a humbling experience.
"It's something that's really new to me, and I don't really like it," he said.
Still, he isn’t throwing in the towel. Trade rumors are swirling, the pressure is mounting, but Murray remains focused on the fix - not the frustration.
“Hopefully, we can turn this around, and I think winning is the best thing in the world and losing, going home, is terrible,” he said. “At this point, we've just got to figure out how to get better on both ends of the floor. On both ends, I feel like we're just missing something, and it's obviously not clicking for us right now.”
That’s the reality in Sacramento. The Kings are searching - for identity, for cohesion, for answers.
And while the season has been brutal, Murray has quietly taken a step forward individually. He’s upped his scoring average from 12.4 to 14.9 points per game, showing growth amid the chaos.
But make no mistake - personal stats aren’t easing the sting of all this losing.
Murray came into the league as a winner, and he’s still wired that way. For the Kings to turn this around, they’ll need more than just talent. They’ll need leadership, accountability, and a spark - and Murray, even in just his third season, is starting to sound like a guy who’s ready to be part of that solution.
The Kings have time, but not forever. In a loaded Western Conference, the margin for error is razor-thin. The question now is whether this group can rediscover the fire that made them such a compelling story not long ago - or whether this season becomes a hard lesson in how fast things can change in the NBA.