The Denver Nuggets are a frustrating team. They’re filled with talented players, but their rotation is crowded and mismatched, and Emmanuel Mudiay has so far been one of the worst players in the NBA. It’s not altogether surprising that a mostly young team is struggling with consistency, but there is a silver lining, one that will hopefully expand all year: the emergence of Jamal Murray.
Every shooting specialist coming to the league faces the same questions — is the release quick enough and consistent enough to adapt to the NBA? Are there other skills to show a more diverse game and open up the shot? Can he play defense? For two of those three questions, Murray has answered with a definitive yes.
Murray’s got a beautiful shot, but what really jumps off the screen is his speed, with and without the ball. He runs the break fantastically, but he can also leave defenders in the dust when he dribbles around a pick. He’s winning races to the rim against help defenders, as well, and his ballhandling is ahead of what many thought it would be. His passes have zip and he sees some nice angles. Maybe with time he’ll see them enough to be a primary point guard some day.
That day might come soon if head coach Mike Malone wants to ensure Murray keeps getting minutes, because with starter Gary Harris back and last year’s Sixth Man of the Year candidate Will Barton still around, the two spot just got more crowded. Mudiay is such a liability on the offensive end (and not much better defensively) that it’s worth a shot trying to get a more viable five out there. How does Murray, Harris, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Nikola Jokic sound? Pretty fun, right?
Murray’s long range shot has come in streaks this season — he’s under 25 percent so far in December — but that’s to be expected from a rookie. What matters is the confidence and speed with which he’s playing. Honestly, in certain moments he echoes Ray Allen with how dynamic he can be with his shot and overall offensive game. Defensively, he’ll always be undersized for a two, but he does have long arms and a defensively-minded coach to show him the ropes. We’ll see on that end, but Murray looks like he’ll be a future star on the strength of his offense alone.
On to the top five ROY contenders:
5. Brandon Ingram
The irony of Ingram’s rookie year so far is hysterical. As skinny as he is, he was supposed to be nothing but a shooter at this early stage in his career. Instead, his long range jumper just isn’t there, sitting at 28 percent on the year, but he’s shown value in other aspects. On Saturday night against the Cavaliers, Ingram played point guard on both ends, taking the ball up the floor and guarding Kyrie Irving on the other end. It was a savvy move by Luke Walton, because while the rook is still far too skinny to take even thicker small forwards physically, he’s just quick enough for his length to pose a real problem for guards.
He also has confidence with the ball in his hands, even if the passing aspect of playing point doesn’t come naturally to him. We’ll see how the shot develops, but the fact that he doesn’t disappear from the game when it’s not working speaks well of him.
4. Domantas Sabonis
Sabonis the Younger isn’t getting quite as many minutes as he was in the first month of the season, but his outside shooting hasn’t cooled down much — he’s still at 43 percent on the year. His main function has been to simply hang in the corners for threes, but if you give him the chance, he can do fun stuff like this:
He doesn’t have a broad frame or long arms, so it’s always going to be a struggle for him defensively. Offensively, he’s just damn good fun though, whether with his shooting, his driving, his array of post moves, or his solid passing.
3. Jamal Murray
You’ve already seen our thoughts on Murray, so we’re going to use this space to discuss another Nugget rookie who’s hanging on the edges of the top five in Juan Hernangomez. The one they call Juancho might not be the quickest of small forwards, and the logjam in the Nuggets’ frontcourt means he won’t get to try being a stretch four anytime soon, but he can play:
He’s shooting 42 percent from three-point range, and he has been able to switch it up a bit offensively with backdoor cuts and the occasional attack of a close-out. Seriously, the Nuggets need to make a trade, because so many players on this team deserve more minutes, including Juancho.
2. Pascal Siakam
There’s only one rookie getting starter’s minutes on a deep playoff contender, and it’s someone who no one would have picked heading into the year. Siakam is leading all first-years in Basketball-Reference’s Win Shares statistic, probably because he has something to offer on both ends despite being as raw as a Ludacris video. His athleticism, speed, and length make him an excellent target for lobs from Kyle Lowry, and he’s got the beginnings of a mid-range jump shot. Heck, he’s shooting 47 percent from between 16 feet and the three-point line, and he can have that shot all day as the fifth option in the Raptors’ starting lineup. His positioning and bulk both need work defensively, but he’s averaging about a block and a half per 36 minutes. He’s got the bounce to complement Jonas Valanciunas’ size, and with Patrick Patterson, he gives Toronto a formidable power forward rotation.
1. Joel Embiid
Yeah, he’s still the truth.
43 percent three-point shooting, a stupid 3.7 blocks per 36 minutes, and most importantly, he’s staying healthy. His minutes limit now sits at 28, although with Nerlens Noel back healthy, he may not hit that number much. The Sixers, much like the Nuggets, need to clear some space in their frontcourt, because Embiid is just too special to be put on the pine to satisfy other disgruntled young players. Just like Karl-Anthony Towns last year, Embiid looks like a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year if he can stay healthy. You know what? Let’s just watch him work.
