While last night's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies didn't have many positives, the biggest takeaway was the return of Keegan Murray. It was good to see him on the court, though it wasn't exactly the best game to highlight the return of a player the Kings have been desperately missing all season.
During the preseason, Murray tore the UCL in his left thumb. It required surgery, keeping him from making his 2025-2026 season debut until the Kings faced the Grizzlies on November 20th. It was a long absence that Sacramento fans were happy to see comes to an end.
For his first game back with the Kings, Murray actually turned in a solid performance. He played the most minutes out of anyone on Sacramento's roster, clocking in at 32:48. No one else came close to 30 minutes, which is pretty good for someone who hasn't played a regular-season game in a bit.
As for his stats, they were honestly respectable. He finished with 11 points, three rebounds, and one assist. Murray shot 38.5% from the field and 16.7% from three. If this were game 16 for him, those would be concerning numbers, but they're fine for his first game back from injury.
Keegan Murray needs to get his groove back
While injured, the Kings signed Murray to a five-year rookie contract extension worth $140 million. Sacramento bet big on him because they see him as an integral part of the team. Given the rebuild that is reputedly on the way, Keegan is likely to play a big part in that, as well.
Unfortunately, losing to the Grizzlies by 40+ isn't exactly a great welcome home for the young star. Picking up a win and snapping their losing streak would have been a poetic moment for Murray and the Kings. Alas, it was not to be, and Memphis completely crushed them.
It's going to take time for Murray to find his rhythm and bring his A-game back to Sacramento. In particular, it will be good to see him working with Keon Ellis as well as building a rapport on the court with rookies Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud.
Murray is going to make a difference to the Kings, but he can't turn this dog of a season into a winner by himself. Getting Murray into a good place is all about planning for the future, though picking up a few victories this season wouldn't be a bad thing, either.