After appearing in 80, 77 and 76 regular season games over his first three years in the NBA, The necklaces forward Keegan Murray was beset by health problems in 2025/26.
His ’25/26 debut was delayed until November 20 after he underwent surgery on the thumb of the left hand; he later missed a couple of games in december due to a mild calf strain; then he was for several weeks with a sprained left ankle and returned just four games before it aggravated this ankle injuryending his season. In total, Murray played just 23 times last season.
Murray, who passed arthroscopic surgery on the left ankle made his preseason debut Saturday night against Golden State in May. The 26-year-old explained after the game that he missed Sacramento’s first two preseason contests because he “had a little bit of a setback” with his ankle in training camp, per Sean Cunningham of KCRA News (Link to video on Twitter).
“I’ve been dealing with it for a while, so right now I’m just basically managing it, getting it ready for games” said Murray, who had five points in eight minutes in Saturday’s loss. “We’ve got a few weeks left in the regular season, so that’s (what I’m focused on) right now.”
Murray is in the first season of a five-year, $140 million rookie extension he signed last October.
Here’s more from the Pacific Ocean:
- Center Walker Kessler (pinched finger) and guard Colin Sexton (lower leg) were two of Lakers‘ major additions this offseason, but both players have yet to make their preseason debuts, writes Tuc Ni Nguyen of The Los Angeles Times. Although Kesler sat out part of Saturday’s practice, he did not participate in live drills, and head coach Jay Jay Reddick said the team is “not committed” to playing him in Tuesday’s preseason game against Golden State. Redick added that Sexton is “probably a little behind” Kesler in terms of returning to action. Radish earlier expressed confidence that Kessler will be available for one of the team’s two remaining preseason contests and that Sexton will be active for the regular season opener on Oct. 21.
- Luka DoncicThe 2025/26 season was cut short due to a grade 2 hamstring strain he suffered on 2 April. Recently he said Sports Illustrated he deserves some blame for the injury because he stayed in the game for the second half despite tweaking his hamstring in the first. The Lakers The star told reporters on Saturday that he is using the experience as motivation for the upcoming season, according to Benjamin Royer of The Southern California News Group. “You saw what I said about my injury– said the Slovenian guard.First of all, I was thinking about just being completely healthy, and obviously (I’ve) had a whole summer to do that, and I feel great. But obviously I thought we had a team that could compete for the championship, so it was disappointing. Kind of let the team down, so that’s definitely motivating for this season.”
- Provided they are healthy The sun should have one of the best benches in the NBA, writes Sports 360 AZ’s Gerald Burge. Phoenix re-signed key reserves Colin Gillespie and Jordan Goodwin added this summer Luke Kennard in free agency. The Suns also have some intriguing frontcourt options off the bench, notes Burge, with Ryan Dunn and Rusher Fleming presumably vying for minutes for reserve power forward and either Very Igadara or Haman Maluach acts as a backup five, depending on who starts in place of the injured Mark Williams.
