Kings Eye Possible Return for Keegan Murray Later This Week
SLUG: kings-hope-keegan-murray-debut-this-week
The Sacramento Kings believe forward Keegan Murray could appear in his first game of the season as soon as Thursday in Memphis or Saturday in Denver, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.
Murray, 25, was sent to the G League on Monday to practice with the Stockton Kings. A source told Anderson the fourth-year player has been cleared for full 5-on-5 contact and is expected to rejoin the NBA club on Wednesday in Oklahoma City.
Thursday will mark five weeks since Murray underwent surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb, an injury suffered during the preseason. The team initially projected a four-to-six-week recovery and had released no significant updates until now.
Selected fourth overall in the 2022 draft, Murray signed a five-year, $140 million rookie-scale extension shortly after the procedure. While some league observers questioned the size of the deal, salary-cap analyst Yossi Gozlan labeled it reasonable, and The Athletic’s Sam Amick recently reported that rival teams hold Murray in high regard.
Without their top perimeter defender, the Kings have struggled to a 3-11 start, the second-worst record in the Western Conference. Murray’s absence has also highlighted the roster’s limited depth at forward.
Source: Hoops Rumors
