After missing many games to start the season, the Sacramento Kings were happy to get their star forward, Keegan Murray, back. While he has definitely had an impact, it's impossible to deny that his inconsistent shooting has become an issue. Murray needs to find his rhythm quickly.
During the course of the 2025-2026 preseason, Keegan Murray tore the UCL in his left thumb. The injury was bad enough that it required surgery, leading to significant recovery time. After missing the first 15 games of the season, Murray returned on November 20 and has played the last 11.
It's hard to understate how important Murray is to the Kings. With a needed rebuild seemingly inevitable at this point, it is widely believed that he is at the center of the process. Alongside Nique Clifford and Maxime Raynaud, this will be the core of the new team.
Keegan Murray needs to find a new gear
If that is indeed the case, Murray is going to have to up his game quickly. Once he made his return to the starting lineup on November 22 in a win over the Nuggets, Murray was shooting well. And he continued to do so for the next few games.
Starting November 30 against the Grizzlies, Murray's field goal attempts per game have dropped from 16.8 per game to 11.5 per game over the last six games. His field goal percentage isn't going well, either, dropping from 49.1% to 37.1%. Three-point shooting is currently at 26.1%.
At the same time, you have to give the man his flowers when it comes to defense. In the past two games, he has collected eight blocks. The entire Kings' roster, including Murray, has a total of 13 blocks. Keegan accounted for six of their nine against the Wolves last night.
To be the man, Murray has to step up
No one is suggesting that Keegan isn't an absolute baller and hasn't contributed to the Kings in a big way. At the same time, if this is going to be his team, he has to shoot better. It's literally just that simple. The Kings aren't winning a lot of games if their top gun can't hit the mark.
The only thing Murray can do is keep shooting and take more shots. It's hard to score baskets when you're shooting an average of five shots less per game. Another thing would be taking fewer bad threes. Set something up, and finish at the rim or mid-range. Get the points.
Look, Murray is going to be the leader of the next generation of Kings and the face of a much-needed rebuild. For any of that to be remotely successful, he has to sink buckets, plain and simple. And only he can make that happen.