Well, the Sacramento Kings season isn't getting any easier. After an 0-3 start, it was announced that Keegan Murray will miss some time as he's reevaluated in 10-14 days, Maxime Raynaud continues his recovery and is out at least two more weeks, and Dylan Cardwell is still at least a week away from his return as well.
The timing is expected for Raynaud and Cardwell, but losing Murray on top of it is a tough blow for the Kings. Much like last year, Murray's development is huge for the Kings during their rebuild, and it just feels like we hanve't had a chance to see what he can do on the court with an extended opportunity in a more prominent role.
And the news is even worse thinking back to a starting lineup of Ben Simmons and Murray in the front court. Simmons is out for the year, and now Murray joins him on the injured list as the Kings work to revamp their front court.
While Murray is out, the Kings will have to rely on De'Andre Hunter to fill the role of 'switchable wing,' and having just him, compared to the three wings with size, shows how quickly things can change in the NBA. It also doesn't help that Hunter has gotten off to an extremely slow start to the season.
In three games so far, Hunter is averaging 5.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.0 assists on 37.5% shooting from the field and 50% from three. That's a great three-point percentage, but it's still early in the season, and the volume (4-of-8) is still extremely low.
Precious Achiuwa will see an increased role as well, and unlike Hunter, Achiuwa's season is off to a great start, as the veteran forward has picked up right where he left off last season. He's averaged 13.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 block on 56.3% shooting from the field. The hard part is that Achiuwa was already filling in for the injured centers, Raynaud and Cardwell, as the backup big to Domantas Sabonis.
That leaves the door open for more minutes for two-way player Jonathan Mogbo to get on the court, who played 18:14 minutes last night against the Memphis Grizzlies while Keegan sat out for the first full game. Having Mogbo as a two-way player is a luxury for the Kings, and he already looks like he's outplaying his contract status. He finished last night with seven points, three rebounds, an assist, and a steal while making three of his four shots, including his only three-point attempt.
Oct 13, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford (10) dribbles the ball during the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The most intriguing player to watch to see if he'll be back in the rotation is Nique Clifford, who has quietly been relegated to the bench to start the season. Clifford was a building block last season, and the Kings just picked up his team option for next year, so it's an odd spot for the second-year wing to be in. Clifford doesn't have the same size that Murray does, but he should get an opportunity to get back on the court with the injury.
Another player to keep an eye on is Alex Karaban, who is also currently on the outside looking in. He's not as agile or nearly as good a defender as Murray was, but he matches him more in size and should theoretically bring three-point shooting to the team. It just feels like a matter of time the Kings give him a chance, given their 0-3 start, and that time may be sooner rather than later due to injuries.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/kings/onsi as What Latest Injury News Means for Kings Moving Forward .
