Keegan Murray to undergo left thumb UCL surgery, out at season start

Sacramento Kings forward Keegan Murray will undergo surgery after tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb during Friday’s preseason loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, the team announced Sunday. The 25 year old, entering his fourth NBA season, will be reevaluated in four to six weeks, the Kings said, effectively sidelining him for at least the start of the regular season.

Murray left Friday’s game at Moda Center late in the second quarter after compiling nine points on 4-of-7 shooting, five rebounds and two steals in 16 minutes. Sacramento fell to Portland 124-123 in a game decided when Caleb Love sank the second of two free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining. An MRI performed after the game confirmed the torn UCL, and the team said Murray will undergo surgery.

The injury removes a primary two-way contributor from Sacramento’s rotation. Murray averaged 12.4 points and 6.7 rebounds last season and has been regarded as one of the team’s best perimeter defenders since being selected fourth overall in the 2022 draft. He is also eligible for a rookie-scale extension later this month.

The Kings said they will reevaluate Murray’s recovery timeline following surgery, but...