Blazers Stock Watch: 5 Players Portland should sell high on
By Reese Kunz
4. Kris Murray
Iowa forward Kris Murray was selected No. 23 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. He spent three years at Iowa, receiving Third-team All-American and First-team All-Big Ten selections in his junior season. Part of what made Murray, now 23 years old, a first-round prospect was his ability to contribute immediately.
From that aspect, it was a confusing pick from the Blazers at the time. Was Murray a pick they were using to convince Lillard to stay, or were they set on him being part of their rebuilding plans despite being a more developed prospect with seemingly less upside than other prospects in that range?
Regardless, Murray was disappointing his rookie season, averaging 6.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game on inefficient 40/27/66 shooting splits. It's hard to say that a player coming off that type of season is a sell-high candidate, but there's a chance that Murray never breaks out, as it's tough to become a rotational player in the NBA if you are an offensive liability as a shooter.
Given that he has first-round pedigree and is only one year into his NBA career, the Blazers could get value for Murray if a team believes in his long-term outlook and wants to take a flier.