A season after winning an NBA title, the Denver Nuggets lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Minnesota Timberwolves. One of the more memorable moments from a fully entertaining series was Nuggets guard Jamal Murray throwing a towel and then a heat pack at the court in the middle of the game, the latter of which landed near the action.
Murray was frustrated that the Nuggets were about to fall behind 2-0. He didn't get suspended, though he was fined for his actions.
Should he receive more fines this year, he'll have no problem paying it. The Nuggets gave Murray a four-year, $208 million contract extension. The new deal kicks in after this upcoming season, which means Murray is guaranteed $244 million over the next five seasons.
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In 2022, the Nuggets and their superstar center Nikola Jokic agreed to a five-year, $276.1 million contract extension. Collectively, they'll pay Murray and Jokic $520.1 million over the duration of these two contracts.
The three-time MVP Jokic has already played two seasons under his new deal, so the Nuggets owe him only about $165.6 million over the next three years. That's still well north of $400 million committed to the team's two top players through the 2028-29 season.
Denver had to make this move to continue trying to contend in a hugely competitive Western Conference. But there's some complexity to it.
When the Nuggets have played well in the playoffs, Murray has been a key contributor. When he's missed time or struggled, as he did this postseason, they've fallen short of expectations. Coupled with a poor Olympics performance, Murray hasn't looked like his peak self for a while.
Additionally, by the time Murray's new deal ends, he'll be 32 years old. Smaller guards that rely on athleticism don't always have the best track record of holding up well physically, and Murray has already had several injuries throughout his career. The last couple years of this contract could look rough.
However, the alternative was to do nothing and potentially watch Murray walk in free agency next summer. He's too good of a pick-and-roll partner with Jokic to risk losing for no return, so the Nuggets had to pay up and assume he can return to the quality level he's delivered for the team before.
To be fair, Murray was a major piece in the Nuggets championship run in 2023. Some of this money is goodwill for that title—the first in franchise history. But if the team doesn't win a second championship, it'll be an awfully expensive and frustrating half-decade in Denver.
