The Sacramento Kings appear determined to keep Keegan Murray in the fold beyond his rookie contract, according to a report by Keith Smith of Spotrac.
Murray, 24, is entering the final year of his four-year, $36 million rookie deal after completing his third NBA season. A Kings front office executive told Spotrac they are “hopeful that we can get something done that keeps him in Sacramento for a long time.”
The former Iowa standout has averaged 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game over his career. His best scoring season came in 2023–24 when he posted 15.2 points per game while shooting 35.8% from three-point range.
Sacramento’s executive praised Murray’s development through challenging roles. “He’s had a tough role every year, really,” the executive said. “As a rookie, we asked him to shoot a lot more. Last year, he was often the fourth or fifth option. For a young guy, that can be hard to adjust to. But to his credit, Keegan never balked.”
Defensively, Murray has also made strides, which the Kings view as a key part of their future. “We feel like he’s a top defender at his position and the offense is there,” the executive added.
The Kings believe it is crucial to keep Murray engaged on both ends. “It’s on us to make sure we don’t let him go too long without getting involved,” the executive noted in Smith’s report.
Since being drafted fourth overall in 2022, Murray has started 231 of 233 regular-season games and helped Sacramento end its long playoff drought in 2023. He also started all seven playoff games that year, averaging 9.7 points and 6.3 rebounds.
