This is the Sacramento Kings’ dream season, and it’s all because the front office made some great choices. First, Tyrese Haliburton was traded for Domantas Sabonis, who could end up being one of the top five MVPs.
Giving up Haliburton wasn’t something most teams would have done, but the Kings knew they needed a tough big man who could help them score more than another point guard.
The Kings also knew they needed to shoot to properly spread out an offense based on Fox’s speedy drive and Sabonis’s ability to score in the low post and pass to him in the high post. So, they got two shooters last summer: Kevin Huerter and Keegan Murray. Maulik Monk has also been a huge help, but he’s more of a scorer than a real shooter.
Huerter, who has been great this season, came from Atlanta in a trade. He got here with the fourth pick in the draft. The Kings could have made a lot of different choices with that pick, but in the end, they made the most important choice when they chose Murray. On Wednesday night, Murray made his 188th 3-pointer of the season, breaking the NBA record for most by a rookie.
Murray made more 3-pointers than Donovan Mitchell, who had 187 as a rookie. Lillard has 185, which puts him third all-time. Those guys are very good. Murray is not, and it was never really thought that he would be. Yes, it’s rare for the No. 4 pick to be a surprise, but Murray was seen more as a practical pick than a possible one at the time.
Ivey or Sharpe were seen as the guys with the most star potential once they were out of the top three. Murray was a player, though. A heavy-duty shooter and a fighter with long arms. The Kings should have traded for Murray for the same reason they traded for Haliburton. Ivey was another Fox who made it clear he didn’t want to go to Sacramento. On paper, Murray looks like he could be Klay Thompson’s sidekick.
Most draft picks don’t turn out the way you think they will, but this one has in Sacramento. This rookie has not only made more 3s than any other in history but he’s also done it more efficiently than anyone else in history.
Murray isn’t the best choice for Sacramento. As a rookie, he has made more 3-pointers than any other player in NBA history. You could even call him a fourth or fifth choice. This is a player who fits right in. He knows how to move and make himself available, and he’s ready to go when called upon. Without Murray, the Kings’ offense is not the best in the game.
He’s also not just a steady shooter, not even close. He can make things for himself. Split up. Place the ball on the ground. Once more, he can protect himself with size. For example, Tyler Herro is a rookie who can shoot the ball but needs to be covered on defense. This is not the case. Murray does his fair share.
Also, the Kings beat Portland on Wednesday and earned their first playoff spot since 2006. This ended the league’s longest current postseason drought. Drafting Murray was a big part of making that happen.
