In 2023, Keegan Murray set an NBA rookie record for three pointers made in a season. He was taking shots in the flow of good team’s offense. He was efficient and a key part of the magic that was the Beam Team.
He finished that season shooting 41% from three. In his second season, former Kings head coach Mike Brown pushed him to get better on defense, and he did, often surprising as the team’s best defender on a nightly basis. His offense suffered though, with his efficiency from three dropping to 35%. Last season, in the midst of all of the massive changes that happened with the team, it dropped even further to 34%. There were team circumstance at play there – more ball dominant players around him, less ball movement, less dribble hand-offs from Domantas Sabonis, etc., but the bottom line is in his second and third seasons, he just wasn’t the same shooter he was in year 1.
On Monday at media day Murray said one of his goals this season was to get back to 40% from three.
Getting back to 40% would be a great thing for Murray and the team. And there is a path to it. All the talk out of training camp is that the team is going to be pushing the pace on both offense and defense. If that ends up being the case and the Kings are attacking the rim and kicking out for easy threes, Murray could fill it up if he gets back to his rookie season ways.
And Doug Christie has it on his radar. Christie said on the first day of training camp that he would like Murray taking 10 threes per game, which would be four more attempts per game than he took last season. He also broke down how Murray needs to “hunt shots.”
“Part of the things I talk to Keegan about is hunting shots. To give you an example, Doug McDermott, he’s a hunter. So as soon as he is in the corner everyone is like, hey watch out, he’s in the corner and the whole gym shifts over, and Keegan has to learn that mentality. It’s a learned thing. It’s like whenever you catch it, I want him to catch it, not catch it and then think about shooting as he’s coming there, he needs to be already thinking about it. Matter of fact, when he’s in the corner he should be thinking when I get up there, I’m going to shoot the basketball. And that comes off to your defender, and then it sprinkles through their team,” Christie said. “That is important for him because when he catches it at 40% and he shows shot, the guy [his defender] is probably going to rise up and now he can put it on the deck, but when you catch it and then all of the sudden you are not thinking about the shot, as a defender, I’m going to snuggle up into you and then I’m going to start taking away things, and now your teammates are like pass the ball, and there’s a trickle effect. He needs to hunt shots.”
This plays into Murray’s next goal he has for this season: Getting on the most improved player list.
But let’s not just get on the list, let’s win it Keegan!
Let’s take a look at a few of the past winners.
Dyson Daniels won the award last season. He increased his scoring by 8.3 points per game, 2 rebounds, 1.7 assists and steals by 1.6. The year prior, Tyrese Maxey won the award, increasing his points per game by 5.6 (up to 25.9 points), assists by 2.7, and rebounds by .8. In 2022-23, Lauri Markkanen won the award, increasing his points per game by 10.8, rebounds by 2.9, and assists by .6.
To win it, Murray would really have to take his game to the next level and become a more integral part of the Kings offense. If he were taking 10 threes per game like Christie wants him to at 40%, there is 12 points a night right there from beyond the arc. Add in a few scores at the basket and a trip or two to the free throw line and then you start to see where his points per game could push him into that most improved player of the year conversation. (He averaged 12.4 points per game last season.)
It is good this is a goal of his because it shows he wants to improve and given his improvements on defense, we know he is very coachable, which makes the possibility of achieving his goals even higher. It will probably all depend on what is going on around him with the team dynamics.
On Wednesday, at training camp, DeMar DeRozan mentioned how important Keegan is to the team.
“A key component to our success is Keegan, on both ends of the ball, offensively and defensively. We won’t be able to go anywhere if we don’t get the best out of him every single night. We do our best to make sure he’s capable of doing that every single night. From his standpoint, he’s ready. He’s being aggressive and most importantly he’s just been more talkative than ever,” DeRozan said.
It would be great if a Kings draft pick continued an upward trajectory. (And hopefully, gets a contract extension.)
10/10.
7/9
trading-places-498-x-268-gif-lnuv40z49tl3ehze.webp (498×268)
Zero point zero.
Well, that means the other volume shooters need to learn to pass him the ball more. Those DDR 15 second back down, hunting for his spot offensive possessions need to stop. Malik with his errant and erratic threes, along with the drives into a crowd of 3 defenders also need to stop.
It sounds like Doug wants to basically get back to the Beam Team offense that they got away from the past 2 seasons. What a novel concept. Go back to what worked instead of trying to scrap it like Mike Brown did. I really hope this works, because I don’t want to watch another lost season of Kings basketball.
Short of running of running more plays for Keegan…good luck with that!
If they make Keon, Keegan, and Zach the main 3pt shooters and run plays to get them open shots routinely, then they might be a potent offense once again. I don’t really see that happening on a consistent basis.
In order for that to happen Keon needs to start. DDR if not traded needs to go to the bench. I really like the idea of Keon starting Christie wants defense then you have Schroder,Keon and Murray. 3 out of 5 is bad.
This is right on the money. Good luck, I’m boycotting this team until they show they can do something intelligent like what you just described.
I give it about a 40% chance.
Isn’t every year a coach calling for the team or a player to take a ridiculous amount of 3p shots?
Couple that with a “focus on playing high level of defense” and we have a typical offseason of coach speak!
Wait a second, this isn’t new stuff? Yeah, you’re right I think I have heard it before! Like every freaking year.
“This the best shape i’ve seen him”
“I had a great offseason and can’t wait to show eceryone what i can do.”
“Our main focus will be defense.”
“I’ve been working all summer in improving my defense.”
“We want to change the culture and mindset of the team.”
“This is the most talented team we have assembled.”
“We are even more team-oriented than last year. Everyone is talking.”
Did i miss any other pre-season cliches?
He put on 15 pounds of muscle
Is that what Anjali told you?
Does that mean he gives it about a 60% Lamb
60% odds of Lambing in the Most Improved Player conversation?
I hate to be that guy, but if Keegan is shooting 10 threes per game, his efficiency is almost certainly going to suffer, where he’s already below average. I get that what Christie is doing is expressing confidence, but his statement and Keegan’s goal of shooting 40% are in opposition.
That’s not to mention that Keegan is at best the fourth option on offense, behind DeRozan, LaVine and Sabonis. Unless there’s a major injury, there’s no chance for Keegan to even get enough shots on this team to be in the conversation for most improved. When you get down to it, this is as much a roster and front office do nothing problem as it is a Keegan problem.
On another note, huge thanks to Blake for all of this excellent content!
Being the main defensive player and shooting ten 3s/game will be taxing on Keegan physically. He also has no viable backup, so I see him getting worn down fairly quickly. The team really needed to add someone to help him out at the SF/PF spot this offseason, and they failed to do that.
You mean a guy like Tristan DaSilva or DaRon Holmes or even a ware who could have played the 4 at times with Sabonis.. there were a few Forwards drafted after our 47th guard taken at 13
Had Monte picked a SF/PF instead of an injured Devin Carter I believe Mike Brown would still be the head coach, Fox would still be on the team and the Kings would have made the playoffs.
butterfly affect
2 possible fixes. Keon to the Rockets for Tari Eason or Carter to the Nuggets for Payson Watson. Eason would be a starter and Watson a backup.
I appreciate you being that guy.
I don’t know man. 10 is a lot, I’ll give you that but every game I watched last season (which was most), Spock passed up at least 4 opportunities from deep per game. good looks, not forced.
Can’t even tell you how many times I yelled at the screen for him to shoot the ball. Too many.
I don’t think it’s that hard really. Just “hunt for shots”. as Doug said. When he is in the waiting position, wherever that may be on the floor — Plan on shooting the moment you catch the pass and then adjust if forced to. Not the other way around.
This needed to be people.
I guess it’s a good time to annually point out The Ben Simmons Rule….
Expecting a player to magically transform leads one down a dark and lonely path.
Pressure to take more shots doesn’t mean take any shot. Shot selection is the key to efficiency. They say, ‘let the game come to you,’ but on a team with this many shooters, that’s much easier said than done. Kings need to create offense that gets Keegan solid looks with options to dish to others for good shots. Also, if he’s going to take the defensive load, something’s got to give.
Still unsure where Keegan would be if Kings had landed Kuminga without unloading DeRozan.
All talk. Last season, the coaching staff wanted the team to take 40 to 50 threes a game. I dont believe that ever happened. We instead get passing and cutting with no intention followed by a 12 second iso.
They averaged 35 3PTA per game last season, so I’m guessing they hit 40 a few times.
Per basketball-reference, they shot 40 or 3PAs in 19 games last season—reaching as many as 47 attempts 4 times.
Even bigger question: did they win?
They were 8-11 in games with at least 40 3PAs; but 2-2 in the games with 47 3PAs.
Last season the Kings averaged right around 90 FGA per game. In the Beam Team season it was 88 FGA per game.
Last season Keegan attempted 10.8 FG per game. In the Beam Team season it was 9.8 FGA per game.
Last season DDR averaged 17 FGA, LaVine 16 FGA (post trade), Monk 14.4, and Sabonis 12.8. That’s a total of 60.2 FGA or roughly 67% of the total shot taken.
Add in Schröder, who for his career (half of which has been a bench play) has 11.8 FGA per game.
Assuming trends continue that 72 FGA accounted for out of 90. That leaves 18 FGA for the remainder of the team, including Keegan.
Simply put, if Doug and the Kings want Keegan to shoot more, the folks listed above are going to have to shoot a whole lot less. Maybe a simpler solution is to remove one or more of those players if you want Keegan to take it to the next level.
…and just for and example/discussion sake, if you were to remove the usage of a guy like DDR and replace him with a defense first wing (think Jaden McDaniles/Lou Dort/Herb Jones) that no only opens up roughly 10 more FG opportunities for a guy like Keegan, it also takes some the defense pressure off of him as well.
I couldn’t agree more with these 2 posts…I keep hearing about how Keegan needs to put up more shots, and I immediately start thinking how the hell is he going to get the ball in hands to take those shots when the other four starters are all ball-dominant.
Keegan doesn’t force it, he plays within the offense and this offense is designed to keep the ball out of his hands (the Kings didn’t replace Barnes with DDR, they replaced Keegan with DDR and told Keegan to go stand in the corner like Barnes used to). He is also going to once again have to take the toughest defensive assignment every night, at a position that he is not best suited for. If the team wants more offense out of Keegan, stop asking so much of him elsewhere, go get a true PF and send DDR out (because he slows down the offense, stops all ball movement, and takes 20 shots a game). I don’t think this ownership group really wants to win though, so I doubt we see any positive roster changes until DDR and LaVine expire.
IMO, what worked during the Beam Team year is you had 3 willing role players who took quality shots without forcing it. Keegan, Barnes, and Huerter were very complimentary to Sabonis and Fox who worked within a system to get shots. Those dudes weren’t ISOing anyone. Barnes might have had his moments in a limited post-up game, but that was fine.
Those 3 just roamed the perimeter, let Fox do the attacking and outlets, while also playing off Domas’ screens, DHOs and passing. It was lightening in. bottle that they didn’t improve on in year 2. They simply just rolled it all back.
In a very Kangz like fashion, they chose to go the opposite direction last season with high usage iso players. I feel bad for Keegan and Sabonis.
Until a starting PF (imv Murray better suited to SF) emerges (trade, FA, or … who knows Jones, Reynaud take some leaps?), my hope is that DDR backs up Schröder (since we don’t really have any real backup PG) and Lavine and gets his 20-25 minutes per game that way.
How about Tari Eason. I’ve always liked him.
Many of us like him, but I don’t think the Rockets are going to trade him.
They may have to if Durant signs an extension. They won’t have the space to give Eason an extension now that they have paid JSJ. They also want to save space for Amen Thompson. They have a problem of too many wings and not enough cap space. It’s being discussed on Rocket’s blogs.
Can let him go restricted and deal with it later or trade him at the deadline. Doesn’t help us now. I don’t see them trading him now.
But if they want to, I’m in.
and 1. JSJ is poison pilled until the offseason. They could extend Eason or let him go restricted, trade JSJ on draft day and be fine with the Eason extension or match or sign him then?
Gives them this season to decide between those 2.
That could have been what there plan was all along, but maybe the FVV situation has altered their process. They may need to move a guy like JSJ or Eason to fill that PG position, or they may just sign Westbrook come Dec. 14th and go from there.
Why do they have to wait un Dec. 14th?
They are hard capped at the first apron, of which they are only $1.2 below so they can’t even fit a vet minimum deal. Since they signed or re-singed so many new players the only ones left to be trade eligible right now are Sengun, Amen, Reed, Durant, and Eason. They are basically stuck until newly signed deals are trade eligible.
This article explains it better.
They basically have to wait until they can afford a prorated version of the vet minimum.
As the season goes on, the amount owed for a vet min deal drops since a good portion of the season has already passed, around Jan enough of the season will have gone by that they’ll be able to add a vet min contract.
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