Sacramento Kings: 3 expectations for Keegan Murray in his rookie season
By Luke Duffy
Sacramento Kings #3: He leads the team in 3-point percentage
Last season, the Kings finished 24th in 3-point shooting (34.4 percent) and 24th in offensive efficiency (109.6). Worryingly, that number slipped to 27th (110.1) after the All-Star break, once Sabonis had embedded himself into the group after his early February move from the Indiana Pacers.
There is much work to be done here, and it won’t be all on Murray to sort out the mess that is a sense of identity for this group. Instead, he is more likely to catch opponents cold early on as they underestimate him. That movement without the ball will be key and is the reason players like Klay Thompson have gone on to have Hall of Fame-level careers.
Fox had a usage rate of 29.1 last season, up from his career average of 27.4. If trade talks involving him heat up again, you can be sure he’ll do all he can to put himself in the shop window. This could mean overdoing it with the ball or forcing all of the action around him.
Meanwhile, Murray’s demeanor and playing style indicate that he is more likely to let the game and shots come to him. He’ll look effortless in allowing this to happen on some nights, and he will be a great release valve if teammates just don’t have it. That is not to say Murray can fix everything, and as a rookie, he won’t be expected to.
There will be mistakes, growing pains, poor shooting nights, and slumps. The Kings are what they are at this stage, but Murray represents a chance to learn from past mistakes and allow a player who is good at something to do that thing well. Thus, he can lead this group in 3-point shooting percentage as a rookie.