Keegan Murray finally has his five-year, $140 million rookie extension, which isn't really a surprise. But the front office really dragged their collective butts on this one, and it has nothing to do with Murray's injury and everything to do with Murray himself.
October 20th was the line in the sand for Murray and the Kings' front office. If there wasn't an extension of his current contract by then, Murray would become a restricted free agent. That meant he could field offers from other teams but the Kings still had the opportunity to match them.
Murray becoming a restricted free agent could have complicated things. Yes, it would open him up to offers from other teams, but it also could lower his trade value if the Kings wanted to go that route. Another team is less likely to want a player if they know he's one foot out the door on day one.
Keeping all of that in mind, it seems odd that the Kings wouldn't have put this issue to bed sooner. Keegan's recent thumb injury wasn't the issue as he's expected back in four to six weeks. The bigger issue was Murray himself as well as how he fit on a changing roster managed by a new front office.
Keegan Murray might not be who the Kings need
There's no doubt that Murray has the tools and the talent to be a star. That doesn't mean he will be one, though. Plenty of players have shown up in the NBA with everything it takes to succeed, but go on to have solid careers with little impact. Murray might be one of those guys.
There's no doubt that Murray plays well, but he's also nowhere near the star many thought he would be by now. Part of the blame for that has to be on the Kings organization who have done a dismal job of developing him.
The reality of the situation is that the new Kings' front office may feel they have gone as far as they can possibly go with Murray. If he stays in Sacramento, he'll have a good career and eventually retire. But his ability to do more than that is contingent on how the Kings build around him as a starter.
In the end, the Kings ended up extending Murray, even if it was just to buy more time to figure things out or make him more appealing as a trade. Regardless, both parties might benefit from moving on and exploring greener pastures, particularly if the Kings aren't going to develop him properly.