Analysis: Denver Nuggets Summer League Grades
By Drew Albee
Jamal Murray = B+
Jamal Murray got off to an uneven start at this year’s Las Vegas Summer League. The Nuggets’ rookie guard out of Kentucky shot just 7/23 from the field during the first two games in Sin City and he picked up only 20 points in those two games combined. However, Murray seemed to gain confidence as the week progressed.
The final three games saw Murray explode for 26.0 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 47% from the floor. Murray — known for his shooting prowess — struggled from distance for most of the week (27.6%), but finished by netting five of his last 12 three-point attempts in Vegas. Scoring should not be an issue for Murray at the next level, as he showed off his reliable jump shot, an impressive mid-range game (complete with both a jumper and a floater) and the ability to score both right and left-handed at the bucket.
Unfortunately, Murray’s defense did not seem to improve throughout the week. Coming out of the draft, Murray’s inability to defend was one of the bigger knocks against him and he did not dispel that notion in Vegas with his play. Murray is a bit undersized for a shooting guard and he sometimes gets lost on defense when his man doesn’t have the ball, pointing to a lack of awareness. Murray isn’t the most athletic two-guard, either, so he rarely makes up for his mistakes on the defensive end by exploding back into the play. The effort certainly seems to be there, but Murray has quite a way to go on the back end to earn defensive-minded head coach Mike Malone’s trust.
Assistant coach Micah Nori and the coaching staff allowed Murray to play both on and off the ball this week and he showed the ability to handle the rock under pressure. Murray’s scoring and versatility should allow him to see a good amount of playing time this season.
Next: Jimmer Fredette
