Is the Kings’ Role for Murray Causing His Decline?

Sacramento Kings fans are tired of Keegan Murray's decline, and some are calling for the team to trade the fifth-year forward.

Murray got off to a slow start in Wednesday's 121-96 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. He finished with two points on 1-for-8 shooting (0-for-4 from three) and four rebounds.

His poor outings have become standard since his historic 2022-23 rookie season. The 6-foot-8 forward broke Donovan Mitchell's single-season 3-pointers made record with 206 threes on 41.1% shooting.

Since then, the 26-year-old's efficiency has fallen off a cliff. He shot 35.8% in 2023-24 and 34.3% in 2024-25 despite playing 153 games.

A torn UCL in his left thumb and a lingering left ankle sprain limited him to 23 games last season. Murray shot a career-low 27.7% from beyond the arc, but a low sample size skews his numbers.

Fans are concerned and frustrated. They want the team to move on, but Matt George, host of the "Matt and Kayla Show" and the "Matt George Podcast," doesn't want them to complain if he improves on another team.

Sometimes, athletes need a change of scenery to revive their careers. George believes Murray should take accountability for his regression, and that the Kings played a role in his downfall.

He said Sacramento mismanaged the historic Beam Team that broke a 16-year playoff drought in Murray's rookie season. The team traded Davion Mitchell to the Toronto Raptors and De'Aaron Fox to the San Antonio Spurs, and traded for DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine over two years.

They also fired coach Mike Brown in December 2024 and general manager Monte McNair after the season ended.

Murray had little stability, with roster and front office changes. Throughout all the chaos, Sacramento still views him as part of its long-term vision.

McNair handed him a five-year, $140 million rookie contract extension in October 2024 that kicked in this season. New general manager Scott Perry declined trade requests from other teams inquiring about Murray.

Many Kings media members questioned his ceiling with his struggles. He hasn't shown flashes of an efficient on-ball shot creator, and he's forced to guard quick, crafty scorers.

His ceiling is a quality starter, not a future All-Star, which reflects his standing as the fourth pick in 2022. A two-way wing is paramount for Sacramento with its roster imbalances, but fans are calling him a bust.

Murray's got off to a rough start in what's supposed to be a bounce-back year. The noise has gotten too loud, and it's time he responds with a resurgent 3-point shooting season.