One year after coming to terms on a max contract extension with Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets have decided to do the same with one of his favorite running mates. According to a report by Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Nuggets and Jamal Murray have come to terms on a monster contract extension that will prevent him from becoming a restricted free agent next summer, one that will pay the talented young guard $170 million over five years.
Denver Nuggets rising star Jamal Murray has agreed to a five-year, $170M maximum contract extension, agent Mike George of OneLegacy tells @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2019
On a more fun note, this marks a huge financial point in what has been a hectic free agency period so far.
https://twitter.com/jgsiegel/status/1145549770389250048
It’s a gigantic deal for Murray, but based on what he does for the Nuggets and the unique partnership he has formed with Jokic, it’s hard to say it’s not deserved. Murray is an offensive dynamo out of the backcourt, bringing scoring and playmaking that was crucial to Denver’s 54-win campaign during 2018-19. In what was his best year as a pro so far, Murray averaged 18.2 points and 4.8 assists per game, both second on the team only to Jokic.
While picking up Paul Millsap’s option was more of a sign that the Nuggets believe they have a window to compete right now, getting Murray’s future all resolved is a sign that Denver believes he can be part of something special down the road. As such, the team made sure to keep him around for a long time.
