Kris Murray's first two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers have been largely underwhelming. Portland invested a valuable first-round pick in the Iowa Hawkeye, selecting Murray with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Portland took Murray one pick before the Sacramento Kings were on the clock, preventing them from having the opportunity to pair Kris with his twin brother, Keegan.
In hindsight, the Blazers should have passed on Murray.
Portland's first-round investment isn't panning out
He was viewed as one of the more NBA-ready prospects, given that he spent three years at Iowa and was a Third-Team All-American as a junior. Unfortunately, Murray has struggled to find his footing at the next level.
He averaged 6.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 21.7 minutes per game as a rookie. That's not horrible considering the defensive value he provides with his length and versatility. But anything Murray provided on the defensive end was mitigated by the harsh reality that he was an offensive liability, shooting below 40 percent from the field, and more concerningly, under 30 percent from beyond the arc.
Although it was an underwhelming rookie season, the rebuilding Blazers could afford to be patient with Murray's development. However, Portland's situation has changed. After a 15-win improvement followed by surprising offseason moves, the Blazers now have win-now aspirations (for better or worse). They have two distinct timelines with veterans and youth, but their situation makes it much more critical that they invest in the right young players. Up until this point in Murray's career, it's been difficult to justify that investment.
He's trending in the wrong direction after averaging 4.2 points and 2.6 rebounds this past season. To make matters worse, his three-point shooting decreased to 22.5 percent. That's not ideal for any team, especially a Blazers squad that has ranked in the bottom five in three-point efficiency the past two seasons. The analytics alone show how vital the three-ball is in the modern NBA, but they also need more floor spacing to create driving lanes for the likes of Deni Avdija, Scoot Henderson, and Shaedon Sharpe.
This all gets even more concerning when factoring in that Murray is already 24 years old, meaning he may be closer to his ceiling than other prospects in that class (like Henderson).
The Blazers exercised Murray's 2025-26 team option, which is still the right move, considering the first-round pedigree and his fit with Portland's defensive identity. However, Murray needs to significantly improve on the offensive end to be considered part of the Blazers' long-term core.