What will Kings do if Kevin Huerter, Keegan Murray miss season opener vs. Trail Blazers?
Kings coach Mike Brown provided illness and injury updates on two key players following practice Monday as the team prepared for its season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Guard Kevin Huerter was limited in practice due to ankle soreness and rookie forward Keegan Murray was still away from the team after entering NBA health and safety protocols Friday. Brown couldn’t say whether either player will be available when the Kings open their season against the Blazers on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center.
“Keegan is still in protocol, and our biggest thing for him is, we just want him to rest and be right whenever that is that he comes back,” Brown said. “And then Kevin went through everything but our live contact today.”
Brown has already named Huerter as his starting shooting guard. The Kings acquired Huerter, 24, in a July trade with the Atlanta Hawks. He looked good in three preseason games, shooting 50% from the field and a sizzling 53.8% from 3-point range while averaging 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 18.7 minutes per game.
Huerter was ruled out Friday when the Kings concluded preseason play with a 133-86 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Brown was asked how close Huerter is to returning for the season opener.
“He’s closer today than what he was before because he didn’t even go through the non-contact stuff before,” Brown said. “He went through non-contact stuff today and then did not join us for contact stuff, so I don’t know what that means. He’s a step closer, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
If Huerter is unable to play against the Blazers, Brown could start Malik Monk or Terence Davis in the backcourt next to point guard De’Aaron Fox.
Monk, who started in place of Huerter against the Lakers, averaged 9.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.5 steals in 18.2 minutes per game in the preseason. He shot just 30.8% from the field and 20.8% from 3-point range.
Davis averaged 11.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steals in 14.7 minutes per game in the preseason, hitting 45.5% from the field and 50% from beyond the arc.
Brown said he hasn’t decided who to start if Huerter is out for Wednesday’s game.
“I haven’t even thought about that yet,” Brown said. “And I told this to our team, I think before last game, that’s why we’re a team. That’s why we’ve got 15 guys, because you’re going to have injuries and guys out and all that stuff throughout the course of the year. So, for me, if you’re all in, it means you’re ready to go and the next man up, so whoever the next man up is, go out there and give it your all until you get subbed out.”
Murray, the No. 4 pick in June’s NBA draft, came off the bench to lead the team in scoring in two preseason appearances, averaging 16.0 points while shooting a scorching 70.6% from the field and 70% from 3-point range. He missed the last two preseason games, first due to what was believed to be a non-COVID-19 illness and then due to the league’s health and safety protocols.
KZ Okpala started three of Sacramento’s four preseason games. Trey Lyles started the other game.
Brown said Murray will need to return to practice before he’s cleared to play, leaving a narrow window for him to make himself available against the Blazers.
“A guy that’s out that long, I would not have him play without practice, but there’s zero pressure at all,” Brown said. “We want him to come back the right way. We play 82 games, and if he misses one, if he misses two, whatever it is, we’ll be fine, so there’s no pressure there. We just want him to go through protocol the right way and make sure he’s concentrating on relaxing and getting his rest and getting his mind right before coming back.”
This story was originally published October 17, 2022 at 3:16 PM.
