The Los Angeles Lakers have an impending roster decision to make, and it looks like Dalton Knecht or Jaden Hardy will be the final roster cut before the 2026-27 season. The Lakers only need to waive one, but they could send both packing in order to grab a former first-round pick who might be available in the next few days: Kris Murray of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Murray is a potential candidate to be off the Grizzlies roster after training camp, and if available, the Lakers were recently urged to go after the 6’8″ wing. If they waive Knecht and Hardy, Murray could arrive on a standard contract. If the franchise decides to keep one of them, they could sign the 26-year-old to a two-way deal.
The Lakers have been looking for wing upgrades all summer, and if Murray does become available, he might be one of the best names on the market at this point in the NBA calendar.
Lakers Could Sign Kris Murray Amid Impending Grizzlies Decision
As NBA insider Brett Siegel recently reported, Murray could be waived by Memphis, a team that is carrying several more players than they are allowed to have for the start of the new season.
“Kris Murray would be the obvious answer (to be waived), assuming he doesn’t stand out in camp,” Siegel wrote. “Murray was traded to Memphis alongside Jerami Grant in the deal that sent Ja Morant to Portland this offseason. The Grizzlies value GG Jackson and his development over the last couple of years, and the team also just drafted Karim Lopez on the wing. That is what makes Murray the one likely to be sacrificed.”
With that, writing for LakeShowLife.com, Colin Keane weighed the positives and negatives of him as the final player to be added to this Lakers lineup.
“As the Lakers continue to retool their wing depth, Memphis Grizzlies’ Kris Murray is a player to keep an eye on, especially as he’s been recently identified as a cut candidate,” he wrote.
“In Murray, the Lakers would be getting a sizable wing (6-foot-8) who has shown that he can rebound and defend against other NBA wings. At worst, Murray would serve as worthy competition for LA’s other wings during practice in an “iron sharpens iron” sort of way. He’d put healthy pressure on a guy like Ziaire Williams, or maybe even usurp him. That’s good value for a two-way contract.”
Murray’s career 25.9% three-point shooting could be the biggest reason why the Lakers wouldn’t want him, as that wouldn’t do anyone any favors playing alongside the franchise star who thrives with wing shooters around him.
“That just doesn’t fit on a Luka Doncic basketball team…Adding another non-shooter wing to the group would seem silly,” Keane added. “There’s also the possibility that Murray would be disgruntled about landing in a two-way situation, and the Lakers don’t want someone with less-than-stellar energy in their building.”
Still, Murray’s experience compared to some of the other players on the Lakers roster makes him an intriguing option. He is still on the Grizzlies for now, but if he becomes available, Los Angeles could be a top landing spot for the fourth-year wing.
The Grizzlies’ Wing In The NBA So Far
Murray was picked 23rd overall in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers, where he spent the first three years of his career.
He had a decent rookie season, averaging 6.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.9 steals in 62 total games, including 29 starts. His numbers and playing time dropped a bit in his second season in the league, before posting similar numbers this past year to his rookie campaign, including a career-high 46.7% shooting from the field.
Murray was then traded to Memphis this offseason in the deal that saw Morant head to Portland.
In the time since, he’s been fighting for a roster spot on the Grizzlies, previously in competition with Peavy, Hawkins (who has already been waived and joined a new team), and Lopez.
Siegel tabbed him as a candidate to be the final player cut by Memphis heading into the new season, which led to Keane’s discussion about his potential fit on the Lakers.
Murray hasn’t necessarily stood out through his first three NBA seasons, but has a chance to carve out a role on whatever team he’s on next, whether that’s a franchise like the Lakers looking for another wing or not.
Lakers Urged To Sign 6’8″ Grizzlies Wing As Roster Cut Looms