Denver Nuggets: Full 2019 Offseason Grades
Extending Jamal Murray
This move is the most questionable one so far. If the Nuggets view Murray as their point guard of the future, you have to extend and pay him. When he’s cooking, he can be a leading scorer that can get to the basket or scorch opponents from outside. With Jokic operating in the paint and finding him as a cutter or a shooter, he fits very well. The only issue with Murray has been his shooting fluctuating throughout the year.
After shooting a career-best slash line of .451/.378/.905 in the 2017-18 season, his numbers fell in every category to a slash line of .437/.367/.848. Those numbers aren’t terrible, but the Nuggets also just gave Murray a contract that’s going to pay him a number that’s going to average well over $30 million starting next season. That number will put him among the top-10 point guards in average salary, but does he fall into that category?
If Murray can prove that his career numbers are going to be closer to his marks from 2017 than the ones he put up last year, the contract is a great move for them. However, when the lights shined brightest during the playoffs last year, Murray’s numbers fell again. He shot just 42.5 percent from the floor and 33.7 percent form 3-point range. It will take a couple of years to fully get the grade on this deal, but, for right now, it doesn’t look too bad.