“Murray was by far the best player on the floor…”
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...ow-with-26-points-in-summer-league-debut/amp/
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...ow-with-26-points-in-summer-league-debut/amp/
Keegan Murray SL Debut (26 points on 10/14 from the floor)
- Thread starter Ozymandias
- Start date
That is still the only Marvin highlight that sometimes pops up on my YouTube feed and I enjoy watching. It felt like we were going places with Marvin and Giles…
That first game with the Bagley and Giles debuts was one of the most exciting basketball games I've been to. That was Fox's last SL appearance and the place was booming. Every Bagley and Giles bucket had people on their feet. Especially that dunk on Wagner. I think Bagley had 18 that game.
Then the next 2 games were some of the worst basketball games I've ever seen. We wanted to leave by the 2nd quarter during both games but stuck them out.
I’m a big believer in Keegan but imo it wasn’t just the shots not falling. His weaknesses were on full display and he is going to have to clean them up to reach his potential. He has to get better as a passer and his handle is subpar which can limit his ability to reach his ceiling. You can’t go from a C- to an A with skills like vision and handle but they can certainly get better. I actually think he can get to slightly above average with the playmaking and maybe around average with his handle. If he does that with the scoring, shooting, plus team defense and iq, you have an upper echelon player.
Murray's weaknesses were on full display in the 2nd game. This is the reason why people have him as a low-ceiling player. He's not a ball handler, struggles with creating his own shot, and is a poor passer. For anyone who watched more than 1-2 games of him at Iowa, these struggles shouldn't have shocked anyone.
In his 1st year with the Kings, he'll just be asked to be the guy to make open shots and play defense. I think that's what we should continue to do with him through the rest of the SL. Relying on him the way they did in the 2nd SL game is just asking to kill his confidence.
Back to the biggest question I have with Murray, if he's not making his shots, can he contribute elsewhere? I'd like to see him bring a bit more on D in game 3 of SL. I also hope the Kings give him a big run in the LV SL where he can play better competition.
In his 1st year with the Kings, he'll just be asked to be the guy to make open shots and play defense. I think that's what we should continue to do with him through the rest of the SL. Relying on him the way they did in the 2nd SL game is just asking to kill his confidence.
Back to the biggest question I have with Murray, if he's not making his shots, can he contribute elsewhere? I'd like to see him bring a bit more on D in game 3 of SL. I also hope the Kings give him a big run in the LV SL where he can play better competition.
I agree with most of this, except the part about his role in SL. I think he's needs high usage and should try things. Let's see if that rumored work ethic and between the ears stuff is legit. If so, he should be able to develop those skills over time (may be league average for a 4 by his 2nd or 3rd year).
I agree on the reads. His hoops IQ is high. You can see that on his off the ball movement and how he positions himself to get rebounds on the defensive end of the court. I don't think he'll get many offensive boards though, simply because of where he'll be on the court (in the corner or elsewhere on the perimeter). Defensive rebounds should be a given for a 4. That said, he's not a natural passer. He doesn't lead guys. It's forced. Can he get better? Yes. Will it be dynamic? No.
I don't think it's a full commitment issue. The passing is a processing issue. He wants to do it, but its just unnatural for him right now to do it. As for his handle, those Tatum comparisons from folks, who claimed to have watched him a ton, were head scratchers. Not you--you never did. Others. He exposes the ball too much on his face up--tried to cross the Miami guard (from USF) and got it picked, tried to dribble the ball behind his back while facing up and had it bounce off his foot. Those are unnecessary dribbles. Dude needs more hesitation, more shake, more ball protection, more jump stopping, and popping on his handle. It's going to take time--probably average for a 4 by year 2 or 3. But yhall probably can throw those Jayson Tatum dreams out the window. That's not him.
I'd like to see him defend the 5 spot on defense. If he can defend the 5, he has a Horford type of value. If not, we're looking a 4/3 version of Harrison Barnes/Tobias Harris/Paul Milsap. Good, solid ten year pro.
I agree on the reads. His hoops IQ is high. You can see that on his off the ball movement and how he positions himself to get rebounds on the defensive end of the court. I don't think he'll get many offensive boards though, simply because of where he'll be on the court (in the corner or elsewhere on the perimeter). Defensive rebounds should be a given for a 4. That said, he's not a natural passer. He doesn't lead guys. It's forced. Can he get better? Yes. Will it be dynamic? No.
I don't think it's a full commitment issue. The passing is a processing issue. He wants to do it, but its just unnatural for him right now to do it. As for his handle, those Tatum comparisons from folks, who claimed to have watched him a ton, were head scratchers. Not you--you never did. Others. He exposes the ball too much on his face up--tried to cross the Miami guard (from USF) and got it picked, tried to dribble the ball behind his back while facing up and had it bounce off his foot. Those are unnecessary dribbles. Dude needs more hesitation, more shake, more ball protection, more jump stopping, and popping on his handle. It's going to take time--probably average for a 4 by year 2 or 3. But yhall probably can throw those Jayson Tatum dreams out the window. That's not him.
I'd like to see him defend the 5 spot on defense. If he can defend the 5, he has a Horford type of value. If not, we're looking a 4/3 version of Harrison Barnes/Tobias Harris/Paul Milsap. Good, solid ten year pro.
I think his passing will improve dramatically this year - especially when he’s in an offense where he knows where everyone is going to be. Frankly Ferrari is a really good passer - but looked terrible doing it in game one. The high BBIQ will win out.
Shot creation and handle are going to take awhile. I don’t think he’s ever going to be a point forward. But he could someday develop an ISO game that looks like Paul Pierce, Middleton or Kawaii (not pretty, but efficient at getting to his spot - and not saying he’s a HOFer). It will take a lot of work to get there.
Summer League is a great opportunity to show what he can do well in the League and to expose the areas he needs to work on.
If I were the Kings - passing within the offense, passing and resetting for a clean look, and finishing handles/moves in transition are what I’d prioritize in year one - on offense. The ISO stuff I’d wait until next summer to make a focus.
Shot creation and handle are going to take awhile. I don’t think he’s ever going to be a point forward. But he could someday develop an ISO game that looks like Paul Pierce, Middleton or Kawaii (not pretty, but efficient at getting to his spot - and not saying he’s a HOFer). It will take a lot of work to get there.
Summer League is a great opportunity to show what he can do well in the League and to expose the areas he needs to work on.
If I were the Kings - passing within the offense, passing and resetting for a clean look, and finishing handles/moves in transition are what I’d prioritize in year one - on offense. The ISO stuff I’d wait until next summer to make a focus.
I want to see Murray on the court with other legit NBA players. Sometimes playing with guys who are not on your level or don't have the same goals can throw your game off.
Never put too much stock in SL games because guys have their own agendas. These games rarely put team oriented basketball players (Keegan) in their best light.
Never put too much stock in SL games because guys have their own agendas. These games rarely put team oriented basketball players (Keegan) in their best light.
When I say lack of commitment I meant he hesitated on his passes instead of just slinging it in there. I do think he needs work on the processing part of it as well.
If he shoots 38-41 percent from 3, moves like he has shown off the ball, plays plus team defense and scores like Milsap that’s a pretty valuable player
If he shoots 38-41 percent from 3, moves like he has shown off the ball, plays plus team defense and scores like Milsap that’s a pretty valuable player
Yeah it's just a total crap shoot. Franz Wagner looked pretty bad in SL last year and wound up being one of the best rookies. Davion looked great in SL and not nearly as good in the NBA.
So far the basketball has at least been watchable from the Kings. They're playing as much of a team game as possible even though they've only had a handful of practices together. Much more watchable than years past. I still remember that year where I think Frank Mason was running the show and the games just turned into Skal and Papa G trying to force 1 on 1 and failing miserably. I couldn't even make it halfway into the 3rd quarter for most the games that year before having to turn it off.
So far the basketball has at least been watchable from the Kings. They're playing as much of a team game as possible even though they've only had a handful of practices together. Much more watchable than years past. I still remember that year where I think Frank Mason was running the show and the games just turned into Skal and Papa G trying to force 1 on 1 and failing miserably. I couldn't even make it halfway into the 3rd quarter for most the games that year before having to turn it off.
I think it's more about him playing the 3 if we go to a traditional PF at the 4 (vs. just resting him and letting Barnes play the 3). Either way our 3 spot is basically all tweeners at this point. Barnes and Murray is the most natural pairing but they could get killed by the right lineups that we don't really have the personnel to contest. That is going to be the biggest upgrade point between future trades, and next year's draft and free agency.
In fairness Chet looked different out there his first game, easily the best player on the court and he was playing with actual NBA talent. He still looked like a very good player his second game but Kenny Lofton Jr did exactly what NBA bigs are going to do to him and bodies him a couple times. And NBA bigs won’t get 4 careless fouls in the first half either. Chet’s first game put the Magic and Banchero on notice real quick though. I think he did everything in game 1 in like 20 minutes too haha.