Sacramento Kings · 6 notes
Keegan Murray played 19 minutes in the Kings' Oct. 13 preseason game, and Doug Christie said he is still finding his legs at both ends of the floor as Sacramento brings him back slowly: "19 minutes for him as we build him up is good."
De'Andre Hunter has played one game as a King and is still working off rust, Doug Christie said, but "DeAndre has been great." Christie likes him with Precious Achiuwa at center, Ben Simmons and Keegan Murray: "it's beautiful because you have the ability to switch."
Keegan Murray says he isn't at 100% yet after his first game action in nine months: "I think I can get there before the regular season." The Kings forward says the ankle that kept him out of practice much of last year is good now, and he'll "slowly ramp up my minutes."
Keegan Murray is back for Sacramento. "Really happy to see Keegan back out there striding down to the corners and running the floor," Doug Christie said. On Maxime Raynaud, who went down, Christie wouldn't speak until results are in: "We'll see what the doc comes back with."
A young Kings player went down holding his knee, and Zach LaVine wouldn't guess how bad: "The way he grabbed his knee, obviously I don't want to put anything out there." Ben Simmons and Keegan Murray made preseason debuts; LaVine said Simmons looked healthy all camp.
Nique Clifford is "not a point guard," Kings coach Doug Christie said — he's a secondary ball handler who can make plays in pick and roll, but his priority is to defend, rebound and communicate. Asked if Ben Simmons, Malik Monk and Keegan Murray play next, Christie didn't commit.