By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Denver Nuggets and superstar point guard Jamal Murray recently agreed to a four-year $208 million contract extension ahead of the 2024-2025 NBA season.
After losing its main three-and-D guy, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who decided to join the Orlando Magic and return to the Eastern Conference, the Nuggets made sure they’ll have Murray until the 2028-2029 season to play alongside its franchise player Nikola Jokic.
According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Murray and the Nuggets were already working on his contract extension since the end of the 2023-2024 season.
However, after Murray went to training camp with the Canadian national basketball team during the Paris Olympics, the Nuggets front office decided to give their point guard some space and let him focus on representing his country.
Now that the NBA season is nearing and will kick off this October 2024, Denver began to roll the dice this off-season and signing Murray to a massive contract was the start after losing Caldwell-Pope.
The Nuggets are fresh off a disappointing NBA playoff result after failing to defend their championship title when they lost to Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference semifinals.
Despite the early exit, Murray joined hands with Jokic in carrying the Nuggets after the duo forced a deciding Game 7.
Murray was spectacular throughout the playoffs and averaged 20.6 points, 5.6 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.5 steals from the first round against the Lakers to the semifinals.
With the addition of veteran point guard and former Most Valuable Player (MVP) Russell Westbrook to their roster, the Nuggets are expected to bounce back and redeem themselves as the kings of the Western Conference.
Aside from Westbrook, Jokic, Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr. will have valuable help in the front court when the Denver management added seasoned stretch power forward Dario Saric.
