Denver Nuggets: Evaluating Jamal Murray’s contract

The Nuggets’ star point guard has established himself as one of the best young stars at the position. However, could his contract become an albatross?

Jamal Murray’s play has gradually improved over his time in the NBA, and after a huge 2018 season, Murray agreed to a gigantic five year contract worth $170 million. Murray’s presence to the Nuggets’ offense is invaluable, and the contract he signed with the team is completely justified.

But could the contract become a little hard to swallow over time? Murray’s new deal has not kicked in yet, and will whenever the next basketball season starts up again. Murray’s first season under the new deal will pay him over $29 million, with an equal amount of dead money attached to it should the Nuggets decide to waive him.

Murray’s deal goes up with the traditional eight percent raise rate from season to season, with the final year of his extended deal paying him over $38 million in 2024-2025. Incentives could also factor in on Murray’s deal, with an All-NBA first, second, and third team incentives in play.

As a result, Murray’s deal is going to be difficult for the Nuggets to trade, even as the NBA salary cap continues to go up. While the idea of trading Murray appears to be a crazy, it is worth noting that the Nuggets could be in luxury tax territory if they decide to bring Paul Millsap back at season’s end, and eventually decide to extend Michael Porter Jr.

If Murray’s play begins to slip and the Nuggets fall in the standings, it wouldn’t be too bad an idea to examine what kind of trade market could be available for Murray as his cap hit continues to bleed the team dry. Furthermore, even on his worst day, Murray could get the Nuggets a king’s ransom as he enters the prime of his career.

Murray’s deal, for now, is giving the Nuggets everything they would have hoped for and more. He is the team’s best perimeter player and has established himself as one of the brightest young point guards on the team, and could go down as one of the best point guards in team history. But in only a few years, it’s possible they could regret it.