Analysis: Denver Nuggets Summer League Grades

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Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Jamal Murray (Kentucky) greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number seven overall pick to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

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.

Mar 17, 2016; Des Moines, IA, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Jamal Murray (23) shoots the ball against Stony Brook Seawolves guard Lucas Woodhouse (34) during the first half in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /

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

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