Jeff Reinking/NBAE/Getty MURRAY’S STATISTICS W/SONICS SEASON 2.0 PPG 1.9 1.5 RPG 0.3 1.0 APG 0.4 0.00 SPG 0.29 0.00 BPG 0.00 10.0 MPG 4.4 .400 FG% .355

General Manager Rick Sund on Ronald Murray:
On last season: "I don’t know him. I told that to Ronald in his exit interview. I’m going to have to see him this summer in the summer league, because I don’t know him."

2002-03 Season:
Drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 42nd pick of last year’s draft out of tiny Division II Shaw College, Ronald Murray so impressed his new employers during the summer that he earned a three-year contract as opposed to the standard-issue two-year deal for second-round picks. As a result, there was some thinking that Murray might open the season as Milwaukee’s backup point guard, but the acquisition of Kevin Ollie ended that possibility.

Playing for George Karl, who is notoriously demanding of rookies, Murray saw little action with the Bucks. He played only 12 times in nearly four months with the team, never once playing more than 10 minutes. With Karl still planning for the short-term, Murray was expendable and the Bucks included him in their five-player deal with the Seattle SuperSonics on Feb. 20. With the Sonics struggling at the time of the trade, and with only one true point guard on the roster, it looked as if Murray might get an extended trial. The conversion of Brent Barry to the point and the Sonics resurgence instead left Murray on the bench before he was sidelined with a right knee contusion.

Noah Graham/NBAE/Getty

Murray will get his opportunity to show his skills in the summer league again this year. As Sund notes, it’s difficult for the Sonics to evaluate Murray at this point because they’ve seen so little of him in game action. A strong summer could make Murray a candidate for the Sonics rotation next season as a fourth guard. There is even some chance, depending on the outcome of Ollie’s free agency, that Murray could emerge as the Sonics backup to both guard positions.

At his best ...
Murray got his longest run of the season in the finale against the Phoenix Suns. Coming off the bench, Murray played 18 minutes in an easy Sonics victory. He made two of his five shots, scoring four points, grabbing three rebounds, and handing out two assists.

Sonics Highs:
Points: 4 vs. Phoenix, 4/16/03
Rebounds: 3 vs. Phoenix, 4/16/03
Assists: 2 vs. Phoenix, 4/16/03
Interesting tidbit
Murray was named Division II Player of the Year for the 2001-02 season.