The Sacramento Kings will probably be with out ahead Keegan Murray to begin the season.
Murray suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb in the course of the crew’s preseason loss to the Portland Path Blazers on Friday night time, the crew introduced on Sunday afternoon. Murray is about to endure surgical procedure within the close to future, and he’ll be evaluated once more in four-to-six weeks.
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If Murray is out the complete six weeks, he may very well be eligible to return for the Kings’ matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves on Nov. 24, the crew’s 18th sport of the season.
Murray averaged 12.4 factors and 6.7 rebounds final season, his third within the league after the Kings took him with the No. 4 general decide in 2022. He’s missed simply 13 video games all through his profession as a consequence of damage. The previous Iowa standout is coming into the ultimate yr of his preliminary four-year, $36.3 million cope with the franchise, and he’s eligible for an extension this month. If Murray and the Kings can’t get a deal completed, he’ll enter restricted free company subsequent summer time.
The 25-year-old has been a dependable piece within the Kings’ beginning lineup over the previous three seasons, and he’ll presumably play an enormous function within the crew’s effort to make it again to the postseason — one thing they’ve solely completed as soon as up to now 20 years. The Kings went 40-42 final season and ended up firing head coach Mike Brown. The crew ultimately promoted interim head coach Doug Christie to interchange him completely.
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The Kings will open the common season on Oct. 22 in opposition to the Phoenix Suns. It’s unclear who will take Murray’s place within the beginning lineup within the meantime, although Christie experimented with rookie Maxime Raynaud on the place on Sunday, in accordance with the Sacramento Bee. The Kings took Raynaud with the No. 42 general decide within the draft earlier this summer time out of Stanford, the place he averaged 20.2 factors and 10.6 rebounds per sport.
“In our league, two bigs, we’re beginning to see fairly a bit, so it’s one of many issues I believe that you just’ve received to take a look at,” Christie stated. “Max is a gifted participant. That is the preseason, so to get him on the market and to get him these sorts of reps is extra what that’s about. We’ve received a pair different choices over the following couple days that we’ll throw on the market.”
