Kings' trade could finally give fans the Keegan Murray they've been waiting for

The only trade the Sacramento Kings managed to get done before the deadline sent three players to other teams while bringing in De'Andre Hunter. Some have been critical of the move, but Hunter could be the player to finally bring Keegan Murray out of the shell that has kept him inconsistent.

There's no question that the 2025-2026 season has not been great for De'Andre Hunter, especially when you compare his current stats to last season. He wasn't the 3&D threat the Cavaliers needed him to be anymore, so they were likely happy to move him to another team.

That doesn't mean that Hunter is washed. He's 28 years old and only in his seventh season, which means he still has room to grow alongside the Kings' rookie core. A change in scenery with more minutes on the court could be enough to jumpstart his game and get him back into a rhythm.

Getting the Kings healthy again

Naturally, this requires him to get his eye healed up and return to active duty with the Kings. Hopefully, Keegan Murray won't be too far behind him. Between his two injuries this season, he has missed most of the games the Kings have played. When he is on the court, Murray has been inconsistent at best.

To be honest, inconsistency has been an issue for Murray his entire career in Sacramento. When he's on, the man is unstoppable. The problem is how often he isn't on. Exacerbating that has been the imbalanced Kings' roster, combined with the revolving door at the head coach position.

Not only do the Kings hope that the aforementioned change in scenery will bring stability to Hunter's game, but they are likely also hoping that Hunter will balance out Murray and bring stability to Keegan's game. This will work as long as Hunter can find his three-point shot again.

The Hunter and Murray duo on the Kings

Last season, Hunter was shooting at 40.5% from the three-point arc, which is more than respectable. Unfortunately, this season has seen a steep decline in his efficiency from three, with him shooting at 30.5%. That's not what the Kings need from him.

If they can help Hunter get his shot rolling over the last 26 games of the season and through the offseason, the floor spacing he will create will open the door for Murray to finally scale up his game. He's long been on the verge of being a threat at both ends of the court.

The Kings have banked heavily on Murray finally realizing his potential, and seem to be hoping Hunter will help get him there. If not, both Hunter and Murray will likely find themselves on the trading block alongside Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis.