One of the biggest storylines involving the Denver Nuggets in recent years has been the health of star guard Jamal Murray. Murray was relatively healthy the first few seasons of his career, but right as it seemed like the Nuggets were approaching true contention, Murray suffered a devastating leg injury that sidelined him for more than a full year.
Since then, things have been pretty touch and go. Murray was fully healthy and played his best basketball in 2023, helping the Nuggets win a title in decisive fashion. That team looked primed to contend for years to come and everything was good in Nuggets land.
But last season Murray battled nagging injuries throughout the season, then suffered a leg injury that forced him to miss several weeks leading up to the playoffs. Murray wasn’t himself in the playoffs and was clearly forcing his way through it at less than 100%.
Then, Murray decided to suit up for Team Canada in the Olympics, and looked even worse. He was a shell of himself and Nuggets ownership even admitted that Murray was not fully healthy. Concerns were mounting to extreme levels, but Jamal showed up early to training camp and allegedly looked good in practice.
The team signed Murray to a four-year, max contract extension and it seemed like things were all systems go. But he still didn’t look right in the team’s first few preseason games. He left at halftime of the team’s third preseason game and didn’t suit up at all for the fourth.
Malone reveals why Murray sat the 2nd half
After the game, Michael Malone was asked about Murray and stated that Murray’s knee was feeling “funny” and that’s why they kept him out. Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette also reported that Murray’s legs were wrapped in big ice bags.
It seems that everyone is downplaying this situation, but this is extremely concerning. At what point do we have to start wondering if Murray will ever be fully healthy again? It’s frustrating for Nuggets fans that instead of resting and rehabbing, Murray played for Team Canada all summer and now we’re a week away from the regular season opener and he’s clearly not healthy.
Even if Murray is good to go, the version we saw of him in the preseason was unacceptable for the amount the team is paying him and what they expect from him. Hopefully, Jamal can get right in a hurry and just needs a few days off, but this has disaster written all over it.