NBA
Report: Keegan Murray To Play On Friday vs Phoenix
Jul 15, 2022, 9:40 AM
| Updated: 9:41 am
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
While some teams in the NBA’s Las Vegas Summer League are shutting down their top talents, Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray is going full steam ahead.
According to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee, Murray is expected to suit up and play during Friday night’s penultimate Summer League contest against the Phoenix Suns.
Source: Kings rookie Keegan Murray expected to play vs. Suns in Las Vegas Summer League https://t.co/JA1ZBZ3VLs
— Jason Anderson (@JandersonSacBee) July 15, 2022
Murray has turned heads due to his stellar play during both the California Classic in San Francisco and this week in Las Vegas as the forward has firmly placed himself into the Summer League MVP discussion.
In his three appearances in Las Vegas, Murray holds averages of 24.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals while shooting 47 percent from the field and 37 percent from beyond the three-point line. The 21-year-old ranks second among all players in points per game, only trailing Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas (28.0 points per game).
While Murray will take the floor on Friday night, it’s very possible that this is the last time we see the rookie play until the Kings take the floor in October for preseason play. Sacramento will play its final game of the summer on Saturday evening against the Houston Rockets.
It’s hard to envision the Kings rolling Murray out in a back-to-back this deep into Summer League, especially if Houston sits its third-overall pick in Jabari Smith Jr.
We’ll see what Sacramento head coach Jordi Fernandez says of Murray’s status for the final during his postgame availability on Friday, but the decision to play or sit Murray will lie the hands of general manager Monte McNair.