Kings Opposing PFs Set Up Nightmare Scenario With Murray Out

A look at the opposing power forwards that the Sacramento Kings will face while Keegan Murray is out due to injury.

Apr 2, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray (13) reacts after scoring a basket during the third quarter against the LA Clippers at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The Sacramento Kings will be without the services of Keegan Murray for the foreseeable future, which is unfortunate for a number of reasons. The first is that they don't have anyone who can easily fill in as the starting power forward, something we all knew coming into the season. But the second is that the start of the Kings' schedule is absolutely brutal.

Sacramento's schedule is front-loaded with talent, as they'll face the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Timberwolves three times before the end of November. Looking more at the schedule, it's not just the teams that the Kings are playing, but who the starting power forwards on those teams are.

Starting Power Forward for Kings Opponents | Will Zimmerle

Two things immediately stand out. The size and talent of the opposing power forwards. Not only are they almost all 6'8" or over, but they are stars in most cases. The list is filled with All-Stars in LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jaren Jackson Jr., Julius Randle, and Lauri Markkanen.

Even Aaron Gordon, one of the players they'll have to face three times, is a star role player that has given the Kings fits in the past.

There's so much talent and size in the NBA that this was always going to be the scenario if Keegan went down, but the timing couldn't be worse given the schedule. There's no soft spots in today's NBA, but it does feel like a bad draw for the Kings.

With all that said, shifting the focus back to who will start for the Kings while Murray is out, it feels like they have to go with either Dario Saric or Isaac Jones. I wrote just yesterday how Keon Ellis was the best option, but if they started either Ellis or Nique Clifford, that would put DeMar DeRozan into the starting power forward spot.

At 6-foot-6, that makes the starting lineup drastically undersized. Outside of the Phoenix Suns, who are starting either Ryan Dunn or Dillon Brooks at the four, depending on where you look, they'd be outmatched height-wise every night.

And not just by a little on some nights, but by a lot. DeMar DeRozan guarding Markkanen,
Antetokounmpo and Jackson Jr. seems like a nightmare situation that the opposing teams will go to over and over again until the Kings make an adjustment.

Oct 15, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (23) takes a shot over Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (10) during the second quarter at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

It's always possible the Kings try to use their speed and quickness to their advantage, as putting DeRozan at the four would also make teams have to adjust to them, but even with that, it feels like the advantage would be on the opponent's side.

While Jones is still an unproven young player and Saric's best days appear to be behind him, they at least bring the size to match up against the opposing power forwards. It's not ideal in terms of overall talent, but starting one of them might be a necessity.

Losing a starter is never easy, but for the Kings, losing Murray was the one player that's the hardest to replace. And unfortunately, the schedule makes it even more challenging. Only time will tell who Christie goes to to start in his place, but they may have to get creative to get through the time Murray is out.