Kris Murray is quietly showing promising signs of improvement for the Portland Trail Blazers so far in the 2025-26 season. Through five games, the Iowa product is averaging 6.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 1.6 steals on 52/33/75 shooting splits.
His shooting and defense have improved since entering the league as the No. 23 overall pick in 2023. Offensively, he's even finding ways to score with some level of consistency that didn't previously exist. It's a small sample size, but it looks like this is the year Murray finally turns a corner as a two-way wing.
Kris Murray is breaking out at the perfect time for Portland
If that is the case, it's perfect timing for Portland. Their lack of depth on the wings outside of Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara has been an issue, one that recently got worse with news of Matisse Thybulle's latest injury. Thybulle underwent surgery after suffering a torn ligament in his left thumb in Portland's win over the Utah Jazz. The Blazers announced he will be reevaluated in four to six weeks.
Murray took on an increased role as a result of this injury in Portland's most recent game against the Denver Nuggets. He finished with 10 points, six rebounds, one assist, and three steals, shooting 4-of-8 from the field and 1-of-3 from beyond the arc. Murray saw a season-high 29 minutes, playing a key role in their thrilling upset in their first NBA Cup game of the season.
At 6-foot-8, Murray has always possessed the defensive versatility to make him an ideal fit for Portland's identity. Unfortunately, his lack of floor spacing was a significant issue, as he shot under 30% from deep in his first two seasons. That made Murray virtually unplayable, as his minutes dipped to a career low 15.1 per game last season. Now, he's shown legitimate progress of at least being a threat from beyond the arc. He may never become an above-average shooter, but if Murray can at least keep defenses honest enough to space the floor, it will be enough for him to provide value.
That's a massive boost for Portland's young core, as shooting has always been the most concerning question mark surrounding this up-and-coming roster. It also wasn't guaranteed that Murray would improve, given that he's already 25 years old and spent three seasons at Iowa. He was widely viewed to be one of the more NBA-ready prospects in the 2023 class, but early offensive struggles suggested that Murray may never be able to crack an NBA rotation consistently. Now, he's proving that he has a higher ceiling than many expected.
With his play trending upward, combined with an increased role in Portland's suddenly shallow roster, all signs are pointing to Murray having the best season so far in his young career.