Malik Monk thinks this Sacramento Kings player has unlimited potential

Malik Monk means a lot to the Sacramento Kings. Not only is he their best bench player, energizer bunny, and the heart and soul of the team, but he is also the guy who chose to stay with the Kings for less money than he could have gotten on the open market this offseason.

Simply put, when Monk talks, it holds a lot of weight. And, on Wednesday, Monk took the time to rave about one of his fellow teammates.

After practice, Monk was asked what he thought the next step for Keegan Murray was heading into Year Three. Here is how he responded:

"It's Keegan, the sky's the limit for him," Monk told reporters on Tuesday. "He could be whoever he wants to be, so I don't want to put a label on him. So, I'm going to let him figure it out himself."

What is the next step for Keegan Murray?

Longtime readers of the website know that we have been on the Murray train for quite some time. It is him, not De'Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis, or even Monk, who ultimately determine how far the Kings go this season and moving forward (because of his potential to become one of the best role players in the league). So, what actually is the next step for Murray?

Outside of bringing his 3-point percentage back to his rookie year numbers (41.1% in 2022-23) and maintaining his stout defense (90th percentile Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, per Dunks & Threes), Murray will want to improve his off-the-dribble game and passing.

Last season, Murray was in the 59th percentile in true shooting on drives. That's pretty solid, but he'll want to up his volume if he wants to make that a legitimate part of his repertoire (35th percentile in drives per 36 minutes, per Thinking Basketball).

As for his passing, Murray has a much longer way to go. Last year, he was only in the 13th percentile in assist rate, one year after finishing in the 8th percentile in that category. Becoming a better off-the-dribble scorer will aid with this because the more comfortable he gets with his handle, the more he'll be able to focus on surveying the floor (instead of worrying about losing the ball) and looking for open teammates.

Given Murray's blend of size (6'8), shooting, and defense, if he can also add off-the-dribble scoring and passing, let's just say Monk's statement will be right on the money. The sky will really be the limit for good ole' Keegan Murray.