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The Sacramento Kings will be looking to add an impact piece at No. 4 overall in this month's 2022 NBA Draft. While there are several players on their radar including Jaden Ivey, Shaedon Sharpe, and AJ Griffin, there is one talent in particular who could be the picture-perfect fit for a Kings team looking to end a brutal playoff drought: Iowa star Keegan Murray.
Here are 3 reasons Sacramento should be focusing on Murray if he's available.
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3 reasons Keegan Murray is perfect fit for Kings at No. 4 overall in 2022 NBA Draft
He can complement Sabonis and Fox
The Kings need more players who can space the floor for De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Keegan Murray might be that guy. The 6'8″ wing has great length and possesses impressive abilities on both ends of the floor. He doesn't always need the ball in his hands to be effective and his defensive skills right now would translate nicely to the league. Murray is very advanced when it comes to defending and has more than enough athleticism and smarts for the game to guard almost every position on the court.
Plus, since he's very good at opening up space and finding his spots, he could seriously benefit from playing alongside the Kings' two stars in Sabonis and Fox. That leads right into the next point, Murray's fantastic shooting, which is typically a weakness for Sacramento.
Another three-point threat
Murray averaged 23.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, 1.3 steals and 1.5 assists at Iowa while shooting 39.5% from three-point land on just over four attempts per contest. That would be an immediate hit for the Kings, who ranked 24th in the NBA last season with a 34.4% clip from deep.
While he's not great at creating his own shot, having top-tier playmakers around him who can get him the rock to hit pull-up jumpers is huge. He can spot up and hit shots or even drain triples on the move. Right now, the Kings' best shooter is Harrison Barnes. Past him, there aren't many players who can make it rain. Although it's unlikely Murray shoots 40% in his rookie season, he's shown enough ability from long range to certainly give Sacramento more perimeter scoring from the get-go.
A transition threat
The Kings aren't a team who thrives much in transition. They scored just 18.4 points per game on the fastbreak last season and could certainly use another player that can make an impact coming down the floor in a hurry. Murray is long, strong, and fairly spry for his size. He works hard and has an impressive motor, which is definitely going to impress the veterans around him. Although he won't likely be the one bringing the ball up the court in transition, Murray also has a solid handle. The Kings are brutal when it comes to rebounding as well and he is a beast on the glass, using his big body and strength to grab boards on a consistent basis.
Keegan Murray isn't a franchise-altering player. But, he fills a need for the Kings in many different areas. This team fails to impress every single year and adding another talent like Murray who can do a variety of things on the court Sacramento typically struggles at is by no means a bad decision. Whether they select him at No. 4 overall remains to be seen. However, it's certainly a logical option.
