What path will the Sacramento Kings go down during the 2023 NBA Draft?

The Kings hold the No. 24, 38 and 54 picks before Thursday's draft. Nine players at least have the option of returning to Sacramento for the 2023-24 season, according to Spotrac. Guard De'Aaron Fox, forward Domantas Sabonis and forward Keegan Murray highlight the players under contract for the Kings next year.

With forward Harrison Barnes being listed as an unrestricted free agent in 2023 and forward Kessler Edwards being listed with a team option, it could help the Kings to target a small forward who can provide some depth or take a starting spot next season. They could try trading the No. 24 pick for a more reliable option at the three that can play multiple positions if necessary. Sacramento also has the Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level and, as a last resort, the Bi-Annual exceptions to work with if Barnes chooses to go to another team.

What are some last-minute predictions for the Kings with their No. 24 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft?

The Kings will draft Kris Murray at No. 24

One Murray brother worked out for them.

Why not add the other?

The Kings selected Keegan Murray with the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Murray would join an influx of Big Ten prospects who found their way onto NBA franchises through the draft that year, including Purdue guard Jaden Ivey, Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis and Ohio State guard Malaki Branham. The duo of Keegan and Kris guided the Iowa Hawkeyes to a Big Ten Tournament win over Ivey and the Boilermakers in 2022, combining for 27 points and 13 rebounds in the championship game.

The 22-year-old forward from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, had a successful first season with Sacramento. He posted averages of 12.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 29.8 minutes played per game.

Kris Murray, a former 3-star recruit in Iowa's 2020 recruiting class, saw his production explode during his collegiate career. An expanded role in the Hawkeyes' rotation saw him score 20.2 points and grab 7.9 rebounds per outing, a massive improvement over the 9.7 points and 4.3 rebounds he averaged the season before.

Murray played more of an unconventional role as a backup five during his sophomore season with Iowa, a point he highlighted during a Wednesday interview with USA Today's For The Win.

“I knew I could hold my own on the defensive end and do what my coach needed me to do on the court and try to give good minutes,” Murray said, via For The Win. “Then I had an opportunity on the offensive end to create mismatches with a five-man or a slower-footed person, and I took advantage of that.

“I thought I really thrived in that role and did what our coach needed me to do to help our team win that year. It helped me to play an unconventional role because you never know what a coach may ask of you on a day-to-day basis. It shows that I'm versatile and that I'm adaptable to different environments and different roles.”

Playing with a more expanded role, he said, helped build up the 2022-23 First-Team All-Big Ten selection's confidence.

“Being able to have a more expanded role this year helped my confidence knowing that my coach trusted me and would let me play through my mistakes,” Murray said. “We built that relationship where I could stay in the game, and he wouldn't have to worry about foul trouble, he wouldn't have to worry about me not shooting the ball if I missed a couple of shots. I was able to show a lot more of my game and my versatility offensively and defensively.”

Murray could be a reliable fit for the Kings if he were to fall to them at No. 24. Having another 6-foot-8-inch forward who can play multiple roles and defend well can do wonders for a Sacramento team that ended the 2022-23 regular season with a defensive rating, or “the number of points allowed per 100 possessions by a team,” of 116.0, according to NBA.com.

As he enters the league, Murray may need to improve his efficiency from beyond the 3-point arc. He shot at a comfortable 39% from the 3-point line during his sophomore season, but dropped to 34% during his junior year.

If it can retain some of its free agents and find a way to bring in backups with its available exceptions, Kris Murray would be a fantastic selection for Sacramento at 24. It can use its second-round picks to find solid options at the two or the five. ESPN's most recent mock draft had the Kings selecting Missouri forward Kobe Brown at 38 and Arkansas guard Ricky Council IV at 54.