The Sacramento Kings have already made it clear that Keegan Murray matters to what they’re building. The next move might be even more interesting: bringing in his brother Kris and letting the Murrays run it back in the NBA.
That idea isn’t just about family ties. Sacramento has one open spot on its main roster and enough cap space to sign Kris Murray to a veteran minimum contract if he becomes available.
And right now, that possibility is very real. The Grizzlies are carrying too many players, and cuts will need to come before the 2026-2027 season starts.
Kris has been mentioned as one of the likeliest players to go, which would leave him without a roster spot for the first time since he was drafted in 2023.
If that happens, the Kings would be in position to act.
Keegan and Kris already have a built-in connection that goes beyond the usual brotherly bond. They played together at Iowa, where their chemistry was obvious and, by all accounts, barely needed any verbal communication at all. Both brothers have said they know what the other is doing on the floor almost instinctively.
That kind of fit matters, but so does how their games complement each other. Keegan is the scorer.
Kris is the facilitator and playmaker. Put them together and you get two players who can cover different jobs while still feeding off the same rhythm.
That combination helped Iowa win the Big Ten Tournament Championship in 2022, and Keegan was drafted soon after.
There’s also the bigger basketball question: Keegan has improved, but he still hasn’t quite looked like the franchise cornerstone Sacramento wants him to be. Reuniting him with Kris could help change that. The argument is simple enough - if the twins have always played their best basketball side by side, why not give it another shot?
The Kings should at least take the chance seriously if it comes. At minimum, it would be a low-cost way to see whether the Murray pairing can give Sacramento a stronger foundation. And if nothing else, it might leave their teammates trying to figure out which brother is which.
In Other News...
Kings Face One Sabonis Trade Problem They May Not Accept
Sacramentos offseason rebuild has run into the sort of accounting problem that can freeze a big move before it ever gets off the ground. The Kings are reportedly exploring a trade involving Domantas Sabonis, but talks with Toronto have hit a snag because Sacramento does not want to take back Jakob Poeltls hefty contract. Sabonis is under team control through the 2028 offseason, which gives the Kings a valuable asset to work with, but also makes any pivot around him more complicated than a simple star swap.
Torontos interest in Sabonis fits with a front office that has shown a willingness to chase major names, and the Raptors acquisition of Kawhi Leonard remains a reminder of how aggressive they can be when a target is available. For this deal to move, a third team would likely have to step in and absorb Poeltls contract, and that extra layer makes the framework harder to pull off. For now, the idea is there, but the math may be the bigger obstacle than the player. [Read more 🡒]
Darius Acuff Jr. Could Change How Stars See The Kings
Darius Acuff Jr. has not played an NBA minute yet, but the buzz around him already feels bigger than a standard rookie profile. For a Kings team always searching for ways to raise its ceiling and reshape how the league views Sacramento, a potential star-level talent like Acuff brings more than on-court upside. It brings a different kind of attention, the sort that can alter how other players begin to imagine the roster.
Jalen Duren is still unsigned and is expected to return to the Detroit Pistons for another season, though Sacramento is one of the teams that could linger as a future possibility. That is where Acuffs potential becomes more than a development story for the Kings. If he looks like a player stars want to play with, it could help Sacramento in the long run when the next wave of talent starts weighing fit, trajectory and opportunity. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Young Core Is Starting To Define Their Next Era
With the Kings looking ahead to the 2026-27 season, the conversation around their rebuild is starting to shift from broad theory to actual pieces on the roster. The young group under 25 now gives Sacramento something concrete to evaluate, with a mix of recent draft additions and developing players who are expected to fit into whatever the next version of this team becomes.
Jonathan Mogbo, Alex Karaban, Emanuel Sharp, Nique Clifford, Dylan Cardwell and Maxime Raynaud each bring a different profile, and that variety is part of the appeal for a franchise trying to shape its next era. Some are already familiar names in the development pipeline, while others are still projecting into larger roles, but together they represent the part of the Kings' future that will matter most as the rebuild keeps taking shape. [Read more 🡒]