Now that Jamal Murray has finally signed a contract extension with the Denver Nuggets, the rest of the NBA world is weighing in on the news. For the most part, the general sentiment around the deal seems to be that the Nuggets paid a lot of money, but despite the risk, it’s a deal they had to make.
Nobody feels great about the price, but that’s just the going rate. Murray is the co-star on a title team and one who has already proven it on the biggest stage. That’s not something you mess around with, especially not with Nikola Jokic - the greatest player in franchise history - at the peak of his powers.
Still, there are some skeptics out there. Some think that Murray is on the downswing of his career, that injuries are catching up with him, and that he can’t be relied upon going forward. Some may say that the Nuggets are paying for past performance and this deal will ultimately close their title window.
Gilbert Arenas thinks Nuggets got a steal with Murray contract
But one member of the NBA media is going in the opposite direction. Former three-time All-NBA guard, Gilbert Arenas has become known for his outlandish takes since retiring from the league. He’s constantly causing a stir on his Gil’s Arena podcast, including some disrespectful takes on Jokic in the past that have made him a bit of an enemy to Nuggets fans.
Perhaps now Gil is trying to get back in the good graces of the fanbase as he’s taking the other view on Murray’s new contract. Arenas is completely unbothered about the price of the deal, in fact, he explained that the Nuggets lucked out since Murray hasn’t achieved regular-season accolades that could make him eligible for a larger contract.
Arenas stated that if Murray was up for a $300+ million extension nobody would bat an eye and that getting him for four years and $208 million is actually a steal. It’s a bit of a hot take, but there’s something to what Arenas is saying.
Murray is a proven playoff warrior and a guy who has already been the #2 option on a championship team just two years ago. While there is some uncertainty surrounding his future, he’s still just 27 and a proven commodity in the biggest moments.
If Murray can stay healthy and come through for playoff runs to come, Arenas will probably look smart for this take before too long.