Keegan Murray Extension and the Kings Uncertain Future
I defend Keegan Murray's extension and explain why the Kings may be the most interesting team ahead of this season's trade deadline.
The Sacramento Kings put the finishing touches on their offseason with a couple of transactions. One was a minor move that rounded out their backcourt rotation and the end of the roster. The other was the biggest investment they’ve made in a young player in five years.
Last week, the Kings signed Keegan Murray to a fully guaranteed rookie-scale extension worth five years, $140 million, according to Shams Charania. The deal doesn’t have any options, according to Anthony Slater.
Reactions to this contract have been mixed. Skeptics will note Murray’s offense stalling, or possibly regressing. His three-point shot hasn’t developed to the level the Kings are hoping for. That could be a problem if he can’t produce enough on the ball.
However, Murray has been the Kings’ best, and arguably only reliable and positive defender from their starting lineup. He’s also one of their few first-round selections in the last fifteen years who didn’t work out or who they prematurely traded. With those factors in mind, the Kings probably couldn’t afford not to extend him.
His annual salary will average 14-15 percent of the salary cap, which can be considered “really good third or fourth option” money. So there is a downside to this contract if his offensive game doesn’t improve. But the Kings know this and went into this deal with the belief that it’ll develop to a point to make it a positive value.
One argument Murray believers could point to is the roster. If the Kings are being honest, they haven’t put together the most cohesive collection of players around him. There is a lot of individual offensive talent on the roster, but most of them require the ball to be effective. The ecosystem around Murray could be better for him to thrive.
This extension, along with the rest of the Kings’ long-term salary commitments, will give them a 2026-27 payroll north of $200 million. This means that they will exceed the luxury tax threshold if they run back their current roster.
When looking at the Kings’ payroll and the tax implications, it’s understandable why some are nervous about Murray’s contract. But his $28 million annually is the most sensible contract on the roster when considering where they stack against the rest of the league. He might be their only veteran who has a secure future with the team.