Sacramento Kings: 3 expectations for Keegan Murray in his rookie season

Sacramento Kings #1: Top three in Rookie of the Year

It would be amazing for the player and the team if Murray won the Rookie of the Year award. But that is a goal to aim for and not a realistic expectation right now, as we are discussing here. What is much more achievable is finishing in the top three in this category, and because of the misfortune of others, Murray is already off to a good start.

Paolo Banchero was the first overall pick for the Orlando Magic, and early indications are that he is going to solve a lot of problems for them. We have discussed Ivey, and he really has the kind of Ja Morant-like explosiveness to be a hit for the Pistons right away as well. Next to Cade Cunningham, the Pistons could make some playoff noise next year, which would help Ivey’s case.

Where it gets interesting is after these two. Certainly, Murray has nothing to fear going up against either of those names and like Banchero and Ivey, he is playing for a young group that is trying to climb the standings. With the news that Chet Holmgren is already done for the season, and given that he was the second overall pick for the Oklahoma City Thunder, well, that changes things.

Holmgren would have been right in the Rookie of the Year mix, and now he is not. The third pick in this year’s draft was Jabari Smith Jr., and he went to the Houston Rockets. Smith Jr. will be a fine player. Defensively, he already looks to be at a high level for a rookie, and if anything, the Rockets could be the best team of all of the ones mentioned here.

So his platform to shine could end up being the brightest, or at least the most noticeable to the people who vote. But if Murray can come in and shoot the lights out, move the ball more than he has, as well as generally improve the offensive flow and help create an identity in Sacramento, a top-three finish here is inevitable. That would help fuel the rising belief that this organization is not a laughing stock anymore.