Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) shoots the ball during the first quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Golden 1 Center. Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Kings make major decision on Keegan Murray's future in Sacramento

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Oct 15, 2025 9:15 PM ET

The often-nonsensical Sacramento Kings have finally made a sensible move.

On Wednesday, ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania reported small forward Keegan Murray has agreed to a five-year, $140M rookie contract extension with the Kings. The 2022 No. 4 overall pick will be under contract with the team through the 2030-31 season.

On Monday, Murray underwent surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. He will be reevaluated again in four to six weeks, meaning he could miss at least 10 regular-season games. Despite the injury, retaining Murray is one of the smarter moves the Kings have made recently.

Keegan Murray is a solid two-way player for Kings

Murray, 25, continues to establish himself as a centerpiece of the Kings' defense. Last season, he ranked third in the team in defensive win shares (2.1) behind guard Keon Ellis (2.2) and center Domantas Sabonis (2.7) (via Basketball Reference). Defensive win shares estimate the number of wins contributed by a player because of his defense.

Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray has agreed to a five-year, $140 million rookie contract extension with the franchise, Mark Bartelstein and Kyle McAlarney of @PrioritySports tell ESPN. Massive new deal for the Kings to lock in their 2022 No. 4 overall pick through 2030-31. pic.twitter.com/ga08ANk26I
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 15, 2025

Sacramento can't afford to lose dependable defenders. Last season, it allowed 115.3 points per game, the 19th most in the league (including playoffs). Agreeing to sign point guard Russell Westbrook, 36, to a one-year deal isn't solving that problem.

Murray is also a solid contributor on the offensive end and a quality three-point shooter, having made 154 or more threes in each of his first three seasons with the Kings. The forward knocked down a career-high 206 when he made the 2022-23 All-Rookie Team.

Murray's offensive numbers haven't improved much over the course of his career, which could raise some concerns. The 6-foot-8, 225-pounder has yet to average more than 15.2 points per game in a season.

But rangy wings who can defend and stretch the floor are invaluable in the modern NBA. Keeping one should prove smart for the floundering Kings, who have missed the playoffs for two straight seasons.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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