NBA Analyst Predicts Keegan Murray's New Contract Extension

Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus went ahead and predicted what Murray's contract extension would look like, expecting him to get a $75 million deal over four years.

"Keegan Murray may find offseason negotiations with the Kings difficult. As Sacramento brought in more scorers, his touches diminished, as did his production and efficiency.

"The Kings also parted ways with general manager Monte McNair, who originally drafted Murray. He has to hope team governor Vivek Ranadivé and new general manager Scott Perry are fans of his game.

"Murray could wind up as a wait-and-see candidate who's forced to test restricted free agency in 2026. However, a compromise could be reached if he and the Kings are willing. He might not get to the $20 million annual range, but perhaps something above the 2026 non-taxpayer mid-level exception (projected to be $15.5 million) could be an acceptable middle ground," Pincus wrote.

Pincus noted that Murray could get even less money if they wait until he hits restricted free agency to reach a new deal, although this four-year, $75 million mark is already fairly low.

Murray should certainly get $20-25 million per year, but he might have knocked himself a few dollars by not taking the leap that many expected him to take this past season.

Murray certainly improved this season, averaging 12.4 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while taking huge strides on the defensive end, but shooting just 34.3% from three-point range suggests his record-breaking rookie year could have been fluky.

The Kings certainly want to keep Murray around, especially if he can piece together his new defensive ability with a more consistent offensive game, and extending him at this projected price tag would be a steal.