With the NBA Finals upon us, projections for the 2023 NBA draft will really start to ramp up.
The draft is June 22 at the Barclays Center in New York, so it’s not too long until fans find out where the newest Iowa Hawkeyes star is headed. After testing the NBA draft waters last offseason, Kris Murray returned, enjoyed a fantastic season and seems primed to be a first-round selection.
The 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward from Cedar Rapids upped his averages to 20.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. In large part because of Murray’s stardom, Iowa tracked down a fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament bid and finished 19-14. His efforts earned him the distinction as a consensus All-American, Iowa’s fourth straight season with one.
Recently, For The Win forecasted a Murray brothers reunion in Sacramento. Now, Bleacher Report is projecting a different landing spot for Kris Murray. Though it’s a franchise that’s clearly undergoing some massive changes, how about Kris Murray to the Golden State Warriors with pick No. 19?
The NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement will force the Warriors to watch their spending and increase their need for cheap contributors. Murray should hit the ground running as a three-and-D forward. – Zach Buckley, Bleacher Report.
It’s a potentially fascinating landing spot.
There ares questions about several core pieces’ futures, namely guard Klay Thompson and forward Draymond Green. Longtime Golden State president of basketball operations and general manager Bob Myers recently revealed he is stepping down as well.
This means there are some interesting immediate and longterm questions about what the future of Golden State’s franchise looks like. Still, as long as Steph Curry is around hoisting up shots from a logo near you, Golden State should remain a factor in the Western Conference for a few more seasons.
Meanwhile, Murray recently updated his individual progress at the 2023 NBA draft combine.
“I think shooting is something you can’t compete with, being just a great shot maker and being able to space the floor is really key in the NBA. And, I think just being versatile, I feel like that’s something I’ve always been my whole entire life.
“Especially these last few years, I’ve been a versatile defender, versatile offensively. Just play multiple positions, guard multiple positions. I think that that’s something I can definitely take to the next level,” Murray said of his game.
Whichever team winds up with Murray will be happy to be adding an NBA-ready playmaker.
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