Strike 3: The Paris Olympics weren’t the best for Jamal Murray.
Unlike his Denver Nuggets teammate Nikola Jokic, who – if this is even possible – enhanced his brand with a bronze medal finish in these games, Murray was a disappointment. He and his Canadian teammates, poised to earn a medal of their own with a star-studded NBA roster, failed to reach the podium. For his part, Jamal put up paltry numbers coming off the bench: Six points per game on 29% shooting. Just 14% from behind the arc.
He looked uncomfortable and out of sync with his Canadian teammates. Former Nuggets head coach George Karl said on X that Murray looked “bitter.”
Now the questions shift back to Murray’s status with the Nuggets. A proposed max-contract extension was put off until after the games. It’s been reported that this hasn’t set well with the former Kentucky standout. He’s also reportedly unhappy with some of the things said publicly and/or privately about his physical conditioning down the stretch last season.
It doesn’t appear Jamal is a happy camper right now.
The last NBA season was a roller coaster for Murray. He tied his career high in points per game with 21.2. He shot 48% from the floor, another career best. During a key east coast road trip, he poured in 35 points against Boston and 31 against Indiana. Jamal also stepped up with 35 points in a big home win over Milwaukee.
However, Murray missed 23 games last season, and was clearly banged up late in the year and despite some late game heroics against the Lakers, wasn’t himself in the postseason. His frustration boiled over in round two, when a meltdown nearly earned him a one-game suspension before Minnesota ended the Nuggets bid at a repeat.
A lot of folks thought Murray should skip playing for his country due to his questionable physical status. A full summer of rest could do him a lot of good. But for almost anyone who’s asked, playing for your home country in the Olympics is all but impossible to say no to.
Now maybe he wishes he would have stayed home?
None of that matters at this point. What matters now is that Murray gets right physically and mentally.
Clearly the Nuggets long term intentions for their star guard will become more apparent as progress toward the contract extension becomes public. If they do extend him – as expected – you’d assume that everything between Murray and the Denver front office has been settled. If the new contract isn’t signed fairly soon – well before training camp starts – then the idea of this being Murray’s final season in Denver becomes very real. In fact, if there’s no contract extension before the season, then it would only make sense for Denver to find a trade partner ASAP.
Who might the Nuggets target to replace their second best player? Of course salaries – including an extension for Murray – would have to be matched up. Would the Nuggets make a play for someone like Donvan Mitchell, reportedly very happy in Cleveland? De’Aaron Fox of the Sacramento Kings has been mentioned. Without a young player on the current roster to step up and fill the void (and no, sixth man-to-be Russell Westbrook isn’t the answer, either) Denver would have to get a difference-making player back in return. But caution must be exercised here. Remember when Milwaukee getting Damian Lillard at this time last season was supposed to make them automatic NBA titlists? Didn’t work out like that.
Murray and Jokic have been so incredibly good as a tandem that Nuggets Nation would be justifiably heartbroken to see them split up. But clearly Joker can adapt to the players around him, and finding someone else – like the Serbian National team was able to do – to run the vaunted “two-man game” with Jokic is doable. On the other hand, Murray seemed out of sync trying to play alongside MVP runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for Team Canada. How would he respond to being in a different NBA uniform?
It would be best for all involved for Murray to remain a Denver Nugget. But first, Jamal needs to take some time to get himself right.
