As good as Nikola Jokic is, it’s almost impossible to win an NBA title without a legitimate second star. When Denver pulled off the feat in 2023, Jamal Murray elevated his game to another level and played like a true superstar, especially in the playoffs. After watching him during that run, nobody would have argued Murray’s place in the top 15-20 players in the league with his arrow pointing up.
But the past two years have been pretty underwhelming, and his fitness and durability have left something to be desired. Despite being in the league for almost a decade and being set to turn 29 in a few months, Murray has still never made an All-Star game, and with the up-and-coming talent in the league, his star status hasn’t felt this dim in a while.
This was represented with some player ranking polls that have come out in recent days, as the Ringer had Murray ranked as the 29th best player in the league, while ESPN had him all the way down at number 46.
If there’s a knock on this team right now, that’s it. Can they win the title with only one top 25 player? 46 seems a little harsh, but 29 may honestly be a bit high. Let’s split the difference and say Murray is a top 40 player. That doesn’t seem good enough.
Murray needs to return to peak form
This is a make-or-break season for Jamal, as things have lined up perfectly with the added depth and a healthy summer. He has been training with the team and has the chance to start the season in great shape, and buck the trend of slow starts that have become customary for Jamal.
These player ranking polls are often silly and serve no real purpose, but these ones do actually paint a good picture. If Murray plays like the 40th-best player in the NBA this season, it’s going to be very difficult for Denver to get back to the promised land. But if he can have a career year and play like a top 20 player, there’s no reason the Nuggets shouldn’t be the best team in the league.
Jokic as the superstar, Murray as the co-star, Aaron Gordon and Cam Johnson as tertiary stars, and a stacked supporting cast sounds like the recipe for a championship team. Jokic as the superstar with everyone else in a complementary role sounds like a good team, but not one that’s capable of beating the best teams in a playoff series.