It wasn't long ago that we spent the entire summer waxing poetically about Keegan Murray.In one July post, I even went as far as to say that the young forward should be made untouchable in any trade talks for Brandon Ingram.
However, that was then and this is now. And as it stands, Murray is running out of time to prove that he is the integral piece to the Sacramento Kings' future that we once thought he was.
What went wrong for Keegan Murray?
The reason that Murray was so highly-touted in the first place is that, in theory, he had the skillset of the perfect modern-day role player. Murray is big (6'8 with a 6'11 wingspan), was a great shooter as a rookie (41.1% from three), and had a monster defensive season last year (84th percentile Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, per Dunks & Threes). He also flashed some promising off-the-dribble chops in a win-or-go-home play-in game.
Unfortunately, the theory of Murray's game has not played out in practice this season. While Murray has not shriveled in stature, he has struggled to rekindle the shooting flame he had as a rookie. Ever since shooting 41.1% from three in Year One, Murray is shooting just 34.7% from downtown.
Murray's defense has also slipped. This season, Murray's DEF EPM is just in the 66th percentile, which has played a part in his career-low overall EPM (-0.6, 57th percentile). On top of that, Keegan's ability to attack has taken a step back. After placing in the 59th percentile in true shooting on drives in 2023-24, he is only in the 33rd percentile this year (per Thinking Basketball).
Even at his current level, Murray is still a solid starting-caliber player in the NBA. But given all the Kings' roster flaws (their lack of size, shooting, and defense), that isn't enough. The team needs Murray to be the fully realized version of the player we thought he'd become heading into this season.
This doesn't make Murray a bad player, but he also isn't as indispensable as we originally thought he was. If he doesn't turn it around soon, the Kings may need to consider including him in a trade that nets them someone who can play this part for them.