NBA Rumors: Nuggets and Jamal Murray are anticipated to reach a four-year, $209 million maximum deal.
Jamal Murray and the Denver Nuggets are poised to agree on a four-year, $209 million deal extension, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.
Murray was already under contract with the Nuggets until the 2024-25 season, but neither he nor the Nuggets wasted time guaranteeing he wouldn’t leave.
There are no surprises there. The 27-year-old helped the Nuggets win the title in 2022-23, averaging 20 points and 6.2 assists per game throughout the regular season.
Murray was electrifying in the playoffs, averaging 26.1 points and 7.1 assists per game. It was reminiscent of his strong performance in the 2019-20 bubble playoffs, when he averaged 26.5 points and 6.6 assists per game and had several memorable performances, including a pair of 50-point outbursts against the Utah Jazz in the first round.
That was his last postseason appearance until the title-winning run, as a ruptured ACL in April 2021 held him out of both the playoffs and the whole 2021-22 season.
In May 2023, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone told media that Murray had expressed reservations about his future in Denver following the injury.
“I recall being on the bus with [Murray] following the injury. He had tears in his eyes, and this was the message. “Hey man, you’re gonna come back from this, and not only that, you’re gonna come back better.”And in that moment, it’s difficult to believe. His initial thought was: “Man, are you going to trade me?” I’m damaged goods; are you going to exchange me now? I hugged him and replied, ‘Hell no! You are ours. We love you, and we’re going to help you get back. You’ll be a better athlete as a result.”
Malone’s words were prescient. Murray has helped the Nuggets achieve new heights, and they have responded by guaranteeing he will be under contract with the team for many years to come.
Murray, Nikola Jokić, and Michael Porter Jr. will likely remain together for the foreseeable future. Murray played in only 59 regular-season games in 2023-24, and the Nuggets were defeated in the second round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
But the Nuggets’ core remains one of the finest in the NBA, and Murray has proven to be a championship-level point guard.