Kings announce Keegan Murray’s Las Vegas Summer League status after 41-point game vs. Heat
Kings second-year forward Keegan Murray will travel with the team to Las Vegas as summer league continues, but he won’t play any more games after pouring in 41 points against the Miami Heat on Wednesday at Golden 1 Center.
The 22-year-old scored 70 points over two contests this week at the California Classic in Sacramento and the organization doesn’t need to see any more. Summer league coach Luke Loucks confirmed what was assumed after a 95-83 victory over the Heat, saying Murray won’t participate in any more summer league games.
“He did pretty much everything we asked of him,” Loucks said. “There are still some areas — six turnovers, only five rebounds — I think there are still so many small areas to his game that just naturally, over time, he’s gonna get a lot better at.”
The Kings organization challenged Murray to evolve his game in a leadership role for the summer league team during last week’s minicamp and during two games on the team’s home floor at the California Classic. The results were promising.
His points came efficiently on 51% shooting from the field and 45% shooting from 3-point range. He handled the ball as the orchestrator of the offense, defended the opponents’ best wing players and point guards, and showed off improved ball handling that needed development following his mostly catch-and-shoot rookie season.
Murray played like it was his last opportunity to showcase his skills in that role without having All-Stars De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis initiating the offense. He scored 41 on just 20 shots against Miami while getting to the free-throw line 15 times, making 13.
Loucks said he challenged Murray before the game in front of the team, imploring him to bring it in his last summer league showing — and last game before the start of next season when the Kings will expect to make a deeper playoff run than last spring’s.
“Obviously, he took (the opportunity) and ran with it,” Loucks said. “He struggled a little bit in the first half. But he was aggressive. He got in the paint, to the foul line. Obviously, he shot the ball at a high level. And I told him, as many minutes as you play, I’m coming at you every time.
“I can’t speak highly enough of Keegan. Just for him to show up with a good attitude and lead this group for a couple of games, it speaks volumes and it speaks to his character.”
The Kings will play the first of at least five games in Las Vegas at 7:30 p.m. Friday against the Atlanta Hawks. They’ll take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday, Chicago Bulls on Tuesday and Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday. Their fifth game is to be determined with the semifinals and finals to follow.
