The Denver Nuggets are in unfamiliar waters. With a bled of seasoned veterans and young, budding stars, Denver’s roster is both its biggest strength and a massive weakness. Over the summer, Denver addressed a couple of major needs by adding All-Star Paul Millsap, re-signing backup center Mason Plumlee and extending Gary Harris, who has shown tremendous growth since entering the league.
While the roster is mainly solidified, point guard continues to be a position where the Nuggets have been a boat without a paddle, so to speak.
Denver has opted to run with 20-year-old Jamal Murray and 21-year-old Emmanuel Mudiay as the team’s primary point guards. Results have been mixed so far, with consistency being a primary root of both guards’ struggles.
Head coach Michael Malone has acknowledged numerous times the learning curve that was anticipated when going with the young tandem. Trying to win now while also developing for the future is a tough task, but it’s one Malone is committed to and believes will pay off — especially with Murray.
“I’d say I’m doing it more with him than some of the other guys because it’s just trying to help him,” Malone said of giving Murray a little extra attention on the coaching side. “Help him navigate the waters of the NBA as a 20-year-old point guard, and it’s not easy. What I like about him is even after a tough game or tough outing he doesn’t come in defeated. [He says], ‘Okay, let’s learn, lets get better, let’s make sure this doesn’t happen again,’ and with that kind of attitude, work ethic and positive mindset he’s only going to get better, and that’s what I like about Jamal Murray.”
Murray has undeniable potential. His raw scoring ability and natural killer instinct make it easy to understand why he’s touted as a pillar of the organization moving forward. While he’s shown flashes of what the future could hold, he needs to continue to stabilize himself in the NBA. The drive and desire to be great are there; it’s now up to Murray to take the next step.
Once he becomes acclimated and binds his shooting and playmaking abilities, Murray has the chance to be a game-changer like one modern-day superstar Coach Malone sees similarities with.
“I coached Steph Curry,” Malone said. “Steph was not great right away. Steph went through a lot of trouble and strugggles, health-wise [in his] career, and now he’s an MVP. That’s the thing that Jamal has to understand: This society wants everything yesterday, our fans want Jamal Murray to be Steph Curry today. It’s not going to happen. Give the kid a break, let him develop, let him grow. In a couple years he’s got a chance to be a great player.”
Entering Friday’s matchup with New Orleans, Murray was currently averaging 13.2 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.6 rebounds per game while riding back-to-back double-digit scoring efforts.