Near the end of the third quarter, Murray suffered the latest injury in the series of setbacks that have interrupted his fourth NBA season, a season in which his team, collectively, has been ravaged by injuries and posted the third-worst record in the league.
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The 8-28 Kings announced Tuesday that an MRI revealed that the 25-year-old Iowa product is dealing with a moderate sprain in his left ankle and will be re-evaluated in three to four weeks.
Just before the New Year, the 2022 fourth overall pick returned from a calf injury that cost him a pair of games in late December.
Murray’s 2025-26 campaign got off to a delayed start due to a torn left upper ligament in his left thumb that required surgery. He suffered that injury during a preseason loss to the Portland Trail Blazers and missed the first 15 games of the season.
His ankle problem stemmed from a third-quarter drive on Sunday. With the Kings trailing the Bucks by 15 points and 4:01 left in the frame, Murray attacked the paint.
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He was received by Milwaukee center Myles Turner. After being tied up by Turner, Murray attempted to throw a pass in the air to Kings big man Drew Eubanks. It didn’t connect and Murray took an awkward fall.
Once he landed, he put his hand on his left ankle. Murray eventually needed help as he limped to the locker room.
Murray signed what was reported to be a five-year, $140 million rookie extension with the Kings this fall, but he has now played in just 19 of Sacramento’s 36 games, and will miss several more due to his ankle injury.
Murray, who previously appeared in 233 of a possible 246 games during his first three seasons, is currently averaging 14.6 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game; However, his 42.9% field goal percentage and 37.2% three-point percentage are career lows.
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He is far from the only Kings player affected by injuries this season.
Rookie center Maxime Raynaud had an injury scare in the fourth quarter of a 129-102 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Friday.
He has been starting in place of injured frontcourt star Domantas Sabonis, a three-time All-Star who is still recovering from a partially torn meniscus.
Raynaud returned to the lineup Sunday against the Bucks, as did Zach LaVine. The two-time All-Star guard was coming off a nine-game absence due to a left ankle injury.
The Kings have lost five straight games, all by double digits. They have the worst point differential (-12) in the NBA, and they can’t seem to catch a break health-wise.