At the end of last season, Keegan Murray stated he knows his time will come. Monday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, his third game of the season since he returned from his thumb injury, might just be a sign that his time is indeed coming.
We saw glimpses of it in Saturday’s win over the Denver Nuggets. The turnaround jumper, the drive and quick stop into a pull-up jumper, the smooth three-point shot.
On Monday, he played 44 minutes in the Kings overtime victory and full attack-mode Keegan was activated. It wasn’t just the three-point shooting (because it was there), or the defense (because it was there), it was his aggressiveness.
Specifically, his determination to put the ball on the deck and take it to the rack.
Throughout his first three seasons in the NBA, most fans and certainly his previous head coach Mike Brown practically begged Murray to be more aggressive, take the shot, attack the basket. And he would do it in flashes, a quarter here, a quarter there. But it never appeared consistently throughout a game. He would ultimately end up deferring to the main scorers on the team.
Not on Monday, even with the ISO squadron of 2025. He finished with 26 points and 14 rebounds in 44 rebounds. He was 10-19 from the floor and 3-5 from three. He took the most shots of anyone in the game other than Anthony Edwards.
He was going from coast to coast, slapping defender’s hands away from him on his way to leaning into contact at the rim and dropping in the bucket.
He was sprinting as the trailer on a fast break, taking the pass, stepping round the defender into nifty scoop shots.
Going to coast to coast into a spin and soft-touch layup.
Euro steps to avoid the defender into a layup.
Dribbling past his defender, into the paint and around Rudy Gobert for layups.
Pivot footwork into a fadeaway to get space and shoot over Gobert.
Driving into the lane and taking the contact from Gobert to get himself to the free throw line.
Attacking off the dribble for a scoop shot avoiding the outreached arms of Gobert.
I mean. Yes, Keegan. This is the way. More of this.
Following the game, DeMar DeRozan said, “Keegan is a key to this team. It’s his team. He’s one of those guys that’s going to be very, very special in this league and he’s showing it.”
Keegan Murray plays basketball again Wednesday against the Suns.
That was one of the best all around games I’ve seen Keegan play. I got flashes of Aaron Gordon last night, which is the kind of player every team needs. If you were a first time watcher you’d think he was the star of the team, but only if you didn’t watch the heavy DDR ISO late in the game and into overtime.
Yes please! And fun win last night!
Agree. There was a sort of gap between the post rookie season California Classic Keegan – he played two games and averaged something like 30+ points as the main offensive focus of the squad – and then bits and pieces Keegan. The 47 point night, some other highlights. The team would feature him in the 1st quarter and then he would move back to Harrison Barnes mode.
This Keegan is the one we’ve been pining for. I always got the impression that De’Aaron and Domas have been encouraging and waiting as well. But, it’s just one game. One. But that Paul George/Kris Middleton (or Aaron Gordon if you like) vibe was on display. Hopefully he starts to feel more comfortable in that role and it becomes more his routine.
Easily, Keegs is the premier defensive player of the starters. Maybe we can hope for a Keon/Keegan/Clifford combo – but since we won’t see Ellis, it will be called O/K/C.
If I didn’t know any better it looked to me like Keegan was told to press on the gas and the other vets were inclined to defer to him, especially LaVine.
Agreed, and that comment from DDR was pretty remarkable really, even within the context of being a good win in a dismal start of the season.
Up2Q mentioned comps of PG, Middleton, and Gordon, I have always thought Keegan’s comp has been Jamaal Wilkes. Borderline all-star small forward, capable scorer with great range, can guard 1-5 capably, good rebounder, and a gamer who played with intensity.
I saw Carmichael Dave wonder of the value of swapping DDR for John Collins, and talked about timelines, etc. There is no timeline for this team, they have to create their own. Bringing on Collins would not only allow Keegan to play the 3 more consistently and allow him to do his thing defensively on the perimeter rather than switching to a big down low, but also absorb some of the shot attempts that DDR is currently taking, which he needs to do to reach his potential. Just giving Keegan room to grow is value enough, especially as both are expiring with DDR having a partial guarantee after next year. Keegan hitting his potential has to be the number one goal of this team for this season.
With regard to timeline, Keegan will likely over perform his contract by a bit, Nique certainly seems like a keeper. Adam rightly pointed out that Maxime seems like a great value as a 2nd round pick, and if he could be Temu Raef LaFrentz that would be fantastic. Precious seems like a conspicuously good pickup, I don’t know if there was a lingering physical issue that teams were worried about, or if most teams were smart enough to already have capable bigs on the roster and he just got squeezed out, but there is a Lasalle Thompson-esque vibe to him and he is only 25. There is enough written about Keon that I do not need to add my perspective (other than it drives me crazy he can’t make an entry pass).
In all honesty, I would be fine with even just moving DDR & Lavine, and Westbrook for that matter. I don’t look at OKC as replicable, as there wont be a situation like Kawhi telling the Clips to trade for PG or he won’t sign with them, nor an owner as enthusiastically dim as Ballmer willing to trade SGA and all of that draft capital for a player of PG’s caliber. I look at Utah’s roster, and their timeline is built around young guys who will top out as 4th-8th best players on a good team after all of those losses? Lauri is not fetching what Ainge is asking for, not that anyone ever does, but he makes 46m, 50m, & 53m over the next three years. With teams struggling with apron issues, what team could pay him that, and give up a lot of capital, for a player who probably should be the 3rd best player on your roster if you want to compete for a ring? Maybe Detroit? But they are good, so their draft picks wont be lottery picks for Utah to pick up a superstar.
DDR will likely only bring back expiring deals, perhaps it is the Clippers, or perhaps it is the Bucks, as both teams struggle to score. Lavine will be a slop for slop trade, but maybe what he brings back is slop broken down over a few different players so the contracts are easier to move off of. Maybe a team will want Lavine knowing they can extend him for 3yr/$100m instead of that player option or something similar. That might work for the Bucks or Clippers or even Memphis.
In my mind, I think Domas would be great for a rebuilding younger squad. He works his ass off, he is a dominant rebounder, and can be the main cog in an offense. He is a good fit for Keegan, which should be a priority, and he only has two years left after this season so he wont be un-tradeable sans injuries.
If they jettison Lavine and DDR, they can start Keon the rest of the year and get him plenty of shots. It’s the NBA, overpaying a bit cures a lot of hurt feelings. Nique & Maxime are good fits. With Lavine & DDR (and Fox tbh) out of the picture, Monk is the Vibe King & Fan Favorite and team leader, and good contract size for trades. Maybe Precious finds a home in Sac and can be the value bench big that Trey was. Schroeder is a big meh. He is playable and his contract is fungible. Westbrook is expiring. Saric and Doug are just salary ballast in any trade. Eubanks is fine but just ballast as well. I wish Devin would get some minutes, I find his dynamic athleticism and boldness to be intriguing. Maybe some sort of hybrid of Fat Lever and TR Dunn.
I think there has to be several stages to this, especially with the talent on the roster. But like the original premise before this caffeine and adderal infused diatribe, there are plenty of stutter steps that could be made to allow growth and figuring out exactly how good Keegan, Nique, Maxime, and Keon are so they can establish a timeline that is not solely built around luck in how the lottery balls fall. We have had luck before in jumping and look where we are now.
I like a lot of what you have written, double M and will only say what you sorta implied – a lot has to happen to make this a build and we just can’t rely on this owner and this GM to do that.
So, as excited as I am, as we all are, about the bright glimmer of hope we’ve seen with a night of Kee-gan Mur-ray, we’ve all been around long enough to pump the brakes.
I am excited and anxious to see more from our Kings #13.
Nice to see you posting Up2Q.
It has taken me this many games to lube up now I am ready to slide into the comment section more often.
I haven’t pumped the brakes with Keegan yet. I really think he has a chance to be an all star. His size and skill set and mental make up seem like a good bet for continued growth.
Nique is super intriguing as well. Just a really fun mix of size and skills for todays game.
Nique does look intriguing, but I’m anticipating a player like Francisco Garica or Omri Casspi at this point. If Perry is in fact labeling him as untouchable, then I question is GMing skills.
Hah! I almost typed that I feel like Nique is who we hoped Francisco was, but I was already comped out in that wall of text. But I agree, untouchable is a bit much.
I see better ball-handling, floor-general *potential* in Nique than Garcia, possibly also better D (he looks stronger).
DDR and an expiring Collins makes a lot of sense but I don’t know if the Clips do anything until the hammer drops on Kawhi and Ballmer. If Silver lays down a harsh punishment I feel they throw in the towel on the season and beyond.
Here’s my gut takes. They all can’t happen, but some iteration of any of them is what I am cool with.
1) DDR to the Bucks for Kuzma and filler (a pair of 2nds?). Bucks get help for Giannis and the Kings get length and some draft assets.
2) LaVine to Detroit for Tobias Harris and Duncan Robinson. Pistons get shooting and scoring (which the need). Kings get an expiring Harris and Duncan for salary match purposes. They can flip him later for a team that needs shooting. This is just a salary dump deal.
3) Monk to Orlando for Johnathan Isaac and Jase Richardson. Orlando get the scoring and playmaking they need while the Kings get Isaac’s non-guaranteed deal and a prospect in Richardson.
4) And this one is for Jack. Keon, Saric and a first for Eason and Jeff Green. Houston gets guard depth and can extend Keon. Sac gets Eason who will be a RFA next summer. Sac can afford to pay him, but Houston cannot. Green is expiring. It boils down to Keon and a 1st for Eason.
These are mainly about clearing cap space because no one other than Sabonis or Keegan is bringing in picks.
I hear bucks are interested in LaVine.. I’m thinking they would have to give us Kuzma and Portis plus a filler..
I think DDR for Kuzma works.. would prefer offloading DDR to clippers for Collins..
I would love to see Monk for Isaac but not if we traded LaVine and DDR..
I could live with a starting unit of LaVine, Westbrook, Collins, MMurray and Domas.. draft a point guard next year and trade LaVine as an expiring Vet.. have Isaac as back up 4/5 he could play with Sabonis and Eubanks well developing Maxime..
now the Eason trade would be awesome
I always enjoy seeing how you value players Adam.
I follow the Pistons, their writer at The Athletic Hunter Patterson, covered the Kings during the Beam Team season and I chatted with him often on twitter. He is an excellent writer, very old school newspaper style coverage. Everything I read is that Tobias is very very important to that team in the locker room, and unless it was a lopsided trade he likely will stick with the team.
I think the DDR to MIL is win win. Kuzma defines the word “replaceable” and is a little to T-Rexish to be missed on a team with Giannis, Turner, and Portis. They need scoring and its easier to hide DDR on defense (though he had some really nice defensive plays on Edwards the other night) when you have Giannis and Turner protecting the rim.
I love love love the Houston trade idea. I wonder if Perry, or really Vivek I should say since he wedges himself into every move, could pull that off without Houston doing what San Antonio did to the Kings in a trade.
I think DDR for Collins would really help balance the Kings roster. I think Schroeder fits better leading a unit, 2nd unit for now, maybe 1st unit if ISO starters moved & young guys promoted.
Agree with both of your points.
Fine. I’ll take the kids to a game this year. Gonna be a very Murray Christmas if he keeps playing like this!
Keegan knows he untouchable and any rebuild will be built around him. That inspires confident and it was on full display last night.
OT: Great Thanksgiving read in the Ringer. Section on PHX and how the league is moving towards picking up full court.
Doug’s on the right track.
Just have to get the old dogs to buy in consistently. It may be happening. I know it’s just a couple games. We’ll see.
Monk has been busting it on both ends. DDR has been trying to take a charge for a while and finally got one. Zach was an offense/defense only sub late in that last one.
Stay aggressive Keegan. It’s your team!
PDX has been picking up full court successfuly.
Fun game to watch and impressive win but…the Kings’ offense is largely stagnant. Besides high picks 40 feet from the basket, it’s 5 men standing on the perimeter; the one with the ball in his hands goes 1-on-1. Yes that works for DeRozan because he’s so lethal 1-on-1, but for the rest of the team? Almost no off-ball movement, no weak side screens, zero cuts. Defenders have it easy and collapse when they see drives to the basket. Compare to Minnesota which moves the ball beautifully, plus has Edwards’ uncanny ability to create his own offense (like Fox used to have).
Am I wrong?
Yes, Sabonis is out and he often is the center of that movement. But aside from a couple of nice Schroder-Eubanks and Monk-Achiuwa pick and rolls, it was ISO-ball.
Yeah. They can overcome that somewhat when they are forceful on D, creating TOs and pushing the ball. But yeah that’s a next step for sure.
They are at least trying to kick more, been leading to TOs but “it’s new to them” this sharing the ball thing.
Nope, you are totally correct.
I approve of this Keegan.
in my mind, I read this as a version of a political commercial
I am 1951, and I approve of this Keegan
We’re still on track to trade everyone off for draft capital/younger prospects and tank to get a top 4 pick in the completely loaded 2026 draft, right guys? …Right?
I am not sentimental about players, so yes …if the right offer (needs to be pretty big and not many teams will be offering 2026 1st round picks) comes along Keegan and Domas are also tradeable.
Keegan. MURRAY!
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