The Denver Nuggets have had a roller-coaster season so far. It hasn’t been a complete disaster. The team is 13-10, which is sixth in the Western Conference. Nikola Jokic is having another MVP-type season, putting up numbers that we have never seen in the NBA. However, the season hasn’t been all good. Denver struggles mightily at times on offense. While Jokic is an otherworldly talent, he can’t do it alone. For years, Jamal Murray has been the Robin to Jokic’s Batman. In the offseason, Murray signed a huge extension but is having one of his worst seasons. Can he find his form and help the Nuggets get back among the Western Conference’s elite?
Denver Nuggets Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray has always been an up-and-down player. When he has his shot working, he is a deadly scorer. In the last two seasons, he has averaged over 20 points per game and has been known to go off for 30 or more points from time to time. He has also seen his assist numbers rise in the past two seasons. Murray has averaged over six assists in the past two seasons after not averaging five assists in the previous five. However, when he is off, the numbers are abysmal.
The Denver Nuggets haven’t seen prime Jamal Murray this season. He is only averaging 17.9 points this season, which is not great for the player they are paying to be the second-best on the team behind Jokic. The inconsistency has been the issue. Let’s take a six-game sample from this season.
- 11/17 @ Memphis: 13 points on 6-15 shooting
- 11/19 @ Memphis: 27 points on 10-20 shooting
- 11/22 vs. Dallas: 14 points on 4-16 shooting
- 11/23 @ LA Lakers: 14 points on 5-12 shooting
- 11/25 vs. NY Knicks: 20 points on 6-13 shooting
- 11/27 @ Utah: 22 points on 10-18 shooting
These numbers are all over the place. His inconsistency is what killed the Denver Nuggets in the playoffs last year against the Timberwolves. He scored 17, 8, 24, 19, 16, 10, and 35 points in those games. That type of inconsistency out of a star player is not great. It would be different if he was a role player, but he is not.
The Contract
These numbers are harder to swallow when you look at the contract situation. Jamal Murray signed a four-year, $207 million extension this offseason. It keeps him on the books until after the 2028-29 season, when Murray will be 32 years old. His cap hit for the next four years is tough to look at, given the production this year.
- 2025-26: $46.3 million
- 2026-27: $50.1 million
- 2027-28: $53.8 million
- 2028-29: $57.5 million
That is a lot of money to be paying someone who isn’t currently averaging 20 points a game. Furthermore, the new CBA makes it harder for teams to move huge contracts. The dreaded second apron will hamper player movement somewhat, especially those with huge contract numbers. While the salary cap could continue to go up, this contract could look terrible in four years.
Can He Right The Ship?
Let’s start with the promising news. Jamal Murray is an NBA champion. He has shown he can play well when it matters most. It’s hard to win a championship. Even with a player like Jokic on your team, winning is hard. Many great players never get a shot at a ring. Murray has one. Speaking of Jokic, playing with him makes things easier. The three-time MVP demands so much attention from opponents that it makes offense easier for the rest of the team. If Murray can find his shot, Jokic will find him.
The other side of the coin is this is nothing new. For years, fans and analysts have wanted to see some consistency out of their star player. It is even more important now that the roster has been depleted over the past few years due to salary cap restrictions. At some point, you are who you are. Murray may just be an inconsistent player. The Denver Nuggets will have to deal with that and hope others can step up on nights when he is off.
Final Thoughts
The season is by no means over. The Denver Nuggets have put themselves in a good position to make a run at some point this season. They are still a tough out in a series. Other pieces, like Russell Westbrook, have played well this year. If Jamal Murray can regain his form, this team could find themselves back in the NBA Finals.
