Kings’ Keegan Murray Shatters Expectations with Stunning $140 Million Rookie Extension—What’s Next for the Rising Star?

Keegan Murray just inked a major payday — a hefty five-year, $140 million rookie extension with the Sacramento Kings that came through this Wednesday, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Considering the buzz and the October 21 deadline looming over the deal, the timing couldn’t have been tighter. The 2022 fourth overall pick from Iowa has steadily carved out a solid role, racking up averages of 13.3 points and 5.6 boards per game, alongside a respectable 37% accuracy from beyond the arc. While his numbers might not scream superstar just yet — especially playing alongside heavy hitters like DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine — his defensive strides and durability paint a picture of a player the Kings are banking on for the future. The move also lines up with other hefty rookie extensions we’ve seen around the league, such as Trey Murphy III and Alperen Şengün. Despite some setbacks, including a thumb injury sidelining him early this season, Murray’s growth signals that the Kings see a cornerstone in their midst. Intrigued? LEARN MORE

Keegan Murray got his deal.

The Sacramento Kings reached a five-year, $140 million rookie extension with Murray on Wednesday afternoon, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

[Yahoo Sports TV is here! Watch live shows and highlights 24/7]

Murray has been eligible for his rookie extension this fall, though he and the Kings had an Oct. 21 deadline to get the deal done. He was entering the final year of his initial four-year, $36.3 million deal this season.

The Kings selected Murray with the No. 4 overall pick out of Iowa in 2022. He has averaged 13.3 points and 5.6 rebounds per game, while shooting 37% from the 3-point line, throughout his career. That performance projected him for an extension in line with the four-year, $112 million deal Trey Murphy III received from the New Orleans Pelicans or the five-year, $185 million package Alperen Şengün signed with the Houston Rockets.

Over his three seasons, the Kings have declined from the third-best team in the Western Conference to a ninth-place finish in the past two years. But that qualified Sacramento for the play-in tournament. In 2024, the Kings defeated the Golden State Warriors before being eliminated by the New Orleans Pelicans. Last season, Sacramento lost to the Dallas Mavericks.

Murray has never been more than the Kings’ fourth-leading scorer. Yet to be fair, he was playing alongside high-volume scorers like DeMar DeRozan (22.2 ppg) and Zach LaVine (22.4 ppg) last season and that will continue. As a rookie, he set an NBA record for 3-pointers made by a rookie with 206, shooting 41%. Perhaps that was an outlier and his numbers were bound to decline.

More NBA news

From the experts at Yahoo Sports

Malcolm Brogdon retiring after 9 seasons in the NBA shortly after reaching deal with the Knicks

However, he has also been the team’s second-leading rebounder behind Domantas Sabonis. And he’s been durable, averaging 78 games per season. Perhaps most importantly, Murray has improved defensively as his career has progressed. He’s been especially effective in isolation situations, often against some of the NBA’s top scorers including Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić and Donovan Mitchell.

Murray will miss the start of the season while recovering from a torn UCL in his left thumb. He’s expected to be sidelined for four-to-six weeks recovering, which has him on target for a return in late November. The extension with Murray is the second significant move the Kings made on Wednesday. They also reached a deal to bring in veteran guard Russell Westbrook on a one-year, $3.6 million contract.

The Kings will open the regular season on Oct. 22 against the Phoenix Suns.