Kings’ Keegan Murray Suffers Injury, Will Be Out for Several Weeks
Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray has suffered an injury to the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb during a preseason game against Portland, the team announced.
Murray will undergo surgery and be reevaluated in four to six weeks, which will leave him out of action for at least the first 10 games of the regular season.
This injury comes at a crucial time for Murray. Entering his fourth season, he is eligible for a contract extension in the coming week. The deadline to reach an agreement with the Kings is October 20. If an agreement is not reached, Murray will enter restricted free agency next summer.
Murray has been a key player due to his durability at the beginning of his NBA career, participating in 233 of 246 possible games in his first three seasons, and starting in all but two of them. This injury to the ulnar collateral ligament is the most significant he has suffered as a professional.
Murray was expected to be the starting forward on a Kings team looking to compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. He has made 543 career three-pointers and has become a versatile defender, meaning the Kings will be without a key shooter and their most reliable defender in the first month of the season.
Among the candidates who could fill Murray’s position as a starter are Dario Saric, Malik Monk, Keon Ellis, and rookie Nique Clifford.
