3 hot takeaways after Kings dismantle Trail Blazers in second preseason game

Sacramento Kings rookie Keegan Murray is ready for the NBA

Last but certainly not least, the hype must continue. Keegan Murray is making it impossible for fans not to hype him up every time they see him play and that’s because every time he takes the court he flat-out balls.

In this one, he came off the bench and shot lights out on his way to a 16-point performance. All of his shots were from deep, which can’t be a trend long-term. Still, he knocked down 5-6 of those shots and brought a spark to the floor every time he was in the game.

We saw it in summer league and once again in the preseason opener, now we saw him put his NBA-ready skillset on display yet again. From that, there is only one fair conclusion we can reach. Keegan Murray is ready for the NBA.

Whether he starts or not this season (He really should), Murray is going to play a significant role on this team simply because of where he is at talent-wise. Like all rookies or young players in general, Murray has a lot of work to do to maximize his game and become the best player he can be.

From day one, though, his skill and confidence are going to make him a key player in the Kings 2022-23 regular season rotation. It will be important to keep an eye on how he handles that first tough stretch he will inevitably have, and how his confidence wavers or remains where it needs to be.

All signs point to him being more than capable of handling those types of things, though, so there really isn’t much to worry about with him. He is ready to make an impact for the Kings and he will be among the NBA’s most impactful rookies during the upcoming season.