Keegan Murray has yet to play a game for the Sacramento Kings after a thumb injury, and the team has definitely felt his absence. The Kings are 3-11 with defense and rebounding being two of the biggest issues so far, two areas where Murray excels.

Without Murray, the Kings have been running out some of the smallest lineups in the league and were forced to bring on reinforcements in the form of Precious Achiuwa. Sacramento is treading water and desperately needs Murray back in the lineup. Luckily for the Kings (and fans), we finally have an update on Keegan.

The Kings have officially assigned Keegan Murray to their G League affiliate in Stockton, confirming that he is nearing his return to action.

Kings make Keegan Murray news official:

OFFICIAL: @SacramentoKings assign Keegan Murray to the @StocktonKings

— James Ham (@James_HamNBA) November 17, 2025

Murray will get a chance to practice with the Stockton Kings as he works his way back into shape after a long absence. Keegan isn’t going to completely save the team, and fans shouldn’t expect any one player to make that big of a difference.

With that being said, there’s an argument to be made that Murray might have been the worst player to lose for an extended period. His ability to space the floor, crash the boards, and defend multiple positions at a high level just isn’t a skill set the Kings have right now. Keon Ellis is the Kings’ best defender on the perimeter, but Murray’s return will help him avoid getting stuck on bigger forwards, where he has struggled a bit. 

Ready for another year of Keegan Murray shooting off-balance coming off pindowns / DHOs. Ridiculous shooter at his size. pic.twitter.com/Un4t1Fv409

— Brenden Nunes (@BrendenNunesNBA) October 9, 2023

Here’s a couple of ways how Murray’s return will help the Kings.

Floor Spacing

Murray is just a few seasons removed from the best shooting season for a rookie in NBA history. Keegan made 206 triples in his first year and hit those at a nearly 41% clip. Though his shooting numbers have dipped each season since, he remains a solid floor spacer and a far better option than any other forward on the roster.

Even though both DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook have been shooting well from outside this season, that isn’t something the Kings should bank on. The Kings are actually shooting well from three as a team, but the issue is their three-point frequency is near the bottom of the league at 26th.

With Murray back, the Kings should expect to get up at least six more threes per game, and that alone will help spacing. Another sign that Murray is needed despite the solid team shooting is that the Kings are shooting better on pull-up threes than they are on catch and shoot, not something I would expect to be sustainable for any team. 

Best Non-Big Rim Defenders… pic.twitter.com/RlqZi0771X

— Basketball University (@UofBasketball) March 17, 2025Defensive Versatility

Defensively, I already touched on how Keegan’s size alone helps the Kings, and his impact doesn’t end there. As you can see from the post above, Murray excels as a rim protector and will immediately give the Kings a much-needed help defender next to Domantas Sabonis.

This part of Murray’s game is specifically important because it is a lapse in Sabonis’ skillset as a big man. Domas will never be an elite rim protector, which means that Sacramento either needs elite perimeter defense or someone who can cover for him.

Ideally, the Kings would want both around Sabonis if they hope to compete, but for now, Murray will have to do. The worry is that the Kings are immediately going to ask Murray to do way too much on defense, which has seemed to hinder his offense in the past few seasons. 

FG% Of All-Star Caliber Players When Guarded By Keegan Murray In The 2024-25 NBA Regular Season :

1. Pascal Siakam — 0.0% (0-5)
1. Jaylen Brown — 0.0% (0-4)
3. Devin Booker — 20.0%
3. Tyrese Haliburton — 20.0%
5. Kevin Durant — 25.0%
6. Zach LaVine — 28.6%
6.… https://t.co/HqPAvPqxVY pic.twitter.com/dAoA3YvSX4

— Stat Defender (@statdefender) April 22, 2025

Along with rim protection, Murray has been one of the best isolation wing defenders in the NBA for the past few seasons while defending some of the league’s best players. As of now, the Kings don’t have anyone on the roster capable of defending Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and other big guards and forwards.

Ellis has done everything he can, but he’s best suited as a point of attack defender rather than dealing with bigger players in isolation. With Murray back, Ellis can focus on what he does best, and subpar defenders like DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and others can be hidden on lower usage players.

In 2024-25, only five players finished in the 85th percentile or higher in rim protection and perimeter isolation defense according to BBall Index, along with Alex Caruso, Amen Thompson, Jalen Williams, and Ausar Thompson. That’s a pretty good list to be on if you ask me. 

The Kings clearly believe in Murray after signing him to a five-year $140 million rookie extension and have been anxious to get him back. There are so many issues with the Kings’ roster that can’t be fixed by just one player, and as I mentioned, those issues are why I’m worried the coaching staff will continue to ask too much of Murray.

With that being said, he is the only true wing on the roster, and that alone should make the team much more competitive. If all goes well, Murray has a chance to join the Kings at the tail end of their current road trip, which ends with a trip to Denver to face the Nuggets. 

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