Keegan Murray’s new contract comes with a simple expectation in Sacramento: be good, be dependable, and help this roster hold together.
That’s a heavier ask than it sounds. The Kings already have major money tied up in Domantas Sabonis, Zach LaVine and Malik Monk, and Murray’s five-year, $140 million extension now adds another big number to the books. His deal starts at $24 million next season, so Sacramento needs it to age like an asset, not a problem.
The frustrating part for the Kings is that they still haven’t gotten a clean look at what Murray can be when healthy. Last season was supposed to be a step forward in his fourth year, but it never really got off the ground.
He tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb in Sacramento’s second preseason game, then missed the first 15 games of the season. After that, he went through a 19-game stretch that never really settled in, and then a moderate left ankle sprain in early January knocked him down again.
Murray said it was the first ankle injury he’d dealt with in his career.
He tried to come back in February, but the ankle flared up again in only his fourth game back, ending his season after just 23 appearances. Before that, he had played 76 or more games in each of his first three seasons. Last year, he finished with 14.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game while shooting 42% from the field and 27.7% from three.
For Sacramento, the issue isn’t whether Murray has value. It’s what kind of value he can deliver in a roster that’s already crowded with on-ball talent.
He’s still a useful defensive piece, the kind of 6’8″ forward who can guard multiple positions and rebound at a solid clip. That’s been his strongest lane in recent seasons.
Offensively, though, the shooting has trended the wrong way since his rookie year, when he attempted 6.3 threes per game and hit 41.1 percent. That dropped to 35.8% in year two, 34.3% in year three and 27.7% in 2025-26, though the injuries made that a tough sample size.
The Kings are also expecting him to do more than stand in the corner and wait. With Darius Acuff Jr., LaVine, Sabonis and Malik Monk all handling the ball, Murray will need to find ways to create a little more offense on his own. Attacking the rim with force and punishing mismatches would go a long way.
De’Andre Hunter’s arrival should help on the defensive end, and that could free Murray up a bit offensively too.
Sacramento doesn’t need Murray to turn into a star. The price tag says something different: they need him to be an above-average starter.
If he can get back to being a reliable volume three-point shooter while making his usual defensive impact, that’s a win. He just turned 26 and is entering his fifth season, so there’s still room for another step.
The roster around him may make things tricky, but after Acuff, Murray is the most important piece of Sacramento’s future. The Kings are paying for that to be true.
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Kings Just Made Their Belief In Emanuel Sharp Crystal Clear
The Kings decision to take Emanuel Sharp at No. 45 already said plenty, but the contract they handed him says even more. Sacramento gave the second-round guard a three-year, $6.35 million deal with two fully guaranteed seasons, a notable investment for a pick in that range and a sign the front office sees a real role for him going forward.
Sharp arrives with the kind of profile the Kings have been trying to add around their core: a guard who can defend on the perimeter and knock down shots. He showed those traits in college and carried them into summer league play, giving Sacramento reason to believe he can grow into a useful 3-and-D piece rather than just another late-round flyer. [Read more 🡒]