Report: Kings Won’t Trade Keegan Murray

The Sacramento Kings are interested in acquiring Pascal Siakam from the Toronto Raptors. However, according to NBA insider Michael Grange of Sportsnet, the Kings will not trade Keegan Murray.

Sacramento is not interested in paying Siakam a full-max contract. Siakam becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.

“According to league sources, the Kings are not going to trade talented second-year forward Keegan Murray and the Kings – already on the hook for full max deals for Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox – aren’t interested in paying Siakam a full max contract which means any chances of retaining the pending free agent are nil,” Grange wrote.

Murray is one of the best young players in the NBA. He’s averaging 15.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.4 blocks this season while shooting 44.7% from the field, 36.2% from beyond the arc and 82.1% from the free-throw line.

Murray, Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox are untouchable in Kings trade talks. Sacramento is 21-14 on the season, good for fifth place in the Western Conference standings.

The Kings drafted Murray with the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft out of Iowa. The sharpshooter made 206 3-pointers last season as a rookie and helped Sacramento make the playoffs for the first time since 2006.

Murray, 23, has career averages of 13.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks with the Kings while shooting 45.1% overall, 39.7% from 3 and 78.8% from the foul line. The swingman scored a career-high 47 points in December against the Utah Jazz while going 12-of-15 from 3-point land.

Murray is making $8.4 million this season. He signed a four-year, $36.4 million rookie scale contract with Sacramento.