Sacramento Kings’ Keegan Murray faces lengthy injury absence after MRI
Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray missed the first month of the season due to a thumb injury. Now, the 25-year-old forward is facing another lengthy absence due to an ankle injury.
An MRI showed that Murray suffered a moderate left ankle sprain in Sunday’s 115-98 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. He will be reevaluated in three to four weeks. Based on that timeline, Murray will miss a minimum of 12 games.
The news came as the Kings prepared to play host to the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. Sacramento has been decimated by injuries this season. Zach LaVine is back after missing nine games with a left ankle sprain, but Domantas Sabonis is still out with a partially torn meniscus in his left knee.
Murray was injured in the second half of Sunday’s game after rolling his ankle on a driving layup attempt. The injury occurred when Murray landed on Bucks center Myles Turner’s foot.
Murray left the game with 4:01 to play in the third quarter. He limped off the floor and headed straight to the locker room with the assistance of head athletic trainer Joel Noland and team security director Max Cayard. A short time later, the team announced Murray would not return.
Murray has appeared in 19 games this season. He is averaging 14.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 1.2 steals.
Murray missed the first 15 games of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb. In late December, he missed two games with a right calf strain.
The latest injury represents another setback for a player who is viewed as a franchise cornerstone as general manager Scott Perry looks to reshape the roster ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
The Kings selected Murray out of Iowa with the No. 4 pick in the 2022 NBA draft. In October, they signed him to a new five-year, $140 million contract that runs through the 2030-31 season.
This story was originally published January 6, 2026 at 12:46 PM.
