It’s about time we pass the baton. Jamal Murray is special, and he’s about to become the new face of the Denver Nuggets franchise.

The city of Denver has been waiting a long time for their next superstar, and while Murray is a long way away from being a star, let alone super, they seem to have found their guy.

On Tuesday, the 19-year-old had the breakout performance we’ve all been waiting for, going for 24 points in 22 minutes on just 13 shots — the kid was on fire. He hit from everywhere and in every situation: Catch-and-shoot three? Check. Contested drive to the rim? Check. Fastbreak dunk? Check.

Murray may be a teenager, but there’s no player on this roster capable of scoring in as many ways as he can, and that’s just the start of it.

Even in limited minutes, Murray already has four games with at least four assists, and his 2.1 assists per game is fifth on the team for anyone who has played in at least half of Denver’s games.

But what does all this mean?

It means Murray is special and that he’ll be entrusted with the reins to the franchise sooner than later.

I’ve been trying to think of a comparison for Murray for awhile now, and while it’s likely to draw a few scoffs, I think I have the answer: Steph Curry.

Now, obviously, I’m not saying Murray is Curry — he’s not — but the skill set is eerily similar.

For starters, they’re both elite shooters, guys who can hit from deep off the dribble or the catch. In fact, the only college freshman to ever hit more three pointers than Murray did last season (113) is Curry (122).

Likewise, they’re both capable of succeeding on or off ball, while also being able to convert at the rim. They’re crafty passers, above-average rebounders and vicious competitors.

At first, I’ll admit, I laughed at the idea, especially during Summer League, where Murray’s handle looked loose and his athleticism lacking. But the improvement that we’ve seen from this kid in just the last few months — the last few weeks — is astounding.

Since going 0-16 in his first four games, Murray has exploded in his last 10, posting the type of numbers that make fans understand why the Nuggets valued him so highly:

Murray’s Last 10 Games: 12.4 points (48% FG, 48% 3P); 2.2 rebounds; 2.1 assists; 21.7 minutes

He’s still a rookie, and he has a lot of growing and improving to do, but with these last 10 games, highlighted by Tuesday night’s performance, he’s shown the Nuggets everything they could have hoped for.

The question becomes: What’s his long-term role?

Murray played shooting guard in college, but both he and the Nuggets have made it abundantly clear that he’s just as much a one as he is a two — he played point every game of his career until he reached Kentucky.

Heading into the season, I very much envisioned Murray playing off ball with Emmanuel Mudiay for a long, long time. Now, I’m not so sure. As I wrote last week, Mudiay has had a rough start to the season, and although he’s been better in the last week or so, questions remain.

Personally, I still hold out hope for Mudiay; if he were to ever reach his full potential, he could be a top-10 point guard, but … so could Murray.

Nuggets fans should be hoping that the duo develop into an elite NBA backcourt together, but right now, if you had to put your money on one of them, the safe choice is probably Murray.

He’s flashed elite abilities, the type of stuff we’ve really only seen from the backcourts in Golden State and Portland. If he can continue to do the same as his role expands, the sky is truly the limit.

While there is plenty of upside on this team, Murray is the one guy on a pathway towards superstardom.