While there were numerous problems with the Sacramento Kings' 2025-2026 season, injuries were a big one. Keegan Murray, in particular, missed most of the campaign. His recent surgery will hopefully mean he's back for next season, but questions remain if he can stay healthy and lead this team.
It all started with a preseason thumb injury, specifically a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. He needed surgery for that, which took a few weeks to heal. Ultimately, Murray missed the Kings' first 15 games and didn't make his season debut until well into November 2025.
After playing for a few games, the thumb injury was followed by a mild calf strain on December 23rd. That would only keep him out for a short period. He returned to action only to sustain a left ankle sprain on January 4, ultimately missing 20 games due to that injury.
If that's not enough, Murray reinjured the same ankle on February 25th, which effectively ended his season. More recently, he underwent an arthroscopic procedure to remove loose bodies in his left ankle. Recovery time is expected to take most of the offseason, with him being ready for next season.
Murray's health issues likely aren't over
In the end, Murray only played 23 out of 82 games in the regular season. While this was his most injury-plagued season by far, his entire four seasons with the Kings have had these issues. Ankle injuries in particular have been a recurring problem in all but his first season.
The Kings have to be paying attention to this. Murray's injuries started off quite innocuous, but have increased in frequency and severity rather quickly. Again, the hope is that he will be good to go after his most recent surgery for the 2026-2027 season. At the same time, there are no guarantees.
Prior to the start of the 2025-2026 season, Murray signed a five-year rookie extension worth $140 million. Sacramento has bet heavily on Murray being the centerpiece of what they are building. That's not going to amount to much if the 25-year-old keeps playing less than 30% of his games.
Some players, like Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis, are just injury prone. If Murray turns out to be one of those guys, the Kings have made a major investment that might not pan out. For now, Murray just has to focus on healing from his current injuries. The Kings will worry about the future.
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