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Jamal Murray is going to be with the Denver Nuggets for a long time to come after the two sides agreed to a new deal on Saturday.
Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Murray will sign an four-year, $208 million extension that keeps him under contract to the Nuggets through the 2028-29 season.
Murray has been eligible to sign an extension since the end of the 2023-24 season. Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported on June 27 he was “working toward” a max contract.
Time passed without any word of an agreement, prompting Murray and the Nuggets to address the situation. The star point guard told reporters on July 11 he wasn’t focused on the contract while preparing to play for Canada in the Olympics.
Troy Renck @TroyRenck
I asked <a href=” star Jamal Murray about his potential max contract extension after Canada’s game vs Team USA. He said, “When we get there, we get there I guess. I am playing games for Canada so it’s not on my mind.” <a href=” <a href=”https://t.co/MsSneIKnRH”>pic.twitter.com/MsSneIKnRH</a>
Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth went on SiriusXM NBA Radio a few days later to say they were “very interested” in extending Murray, but they were going to let him get through the Olympics before sitting down together.
SiriusXM NBA Radio @SiriusXMNBA
“We are very interested in getting something done with [Jamal Murray]”<br><br>Nuggets GM Calvin Booth gives the latest on contract negotiations with their star guard with <a href=” , <a href=” & Ryan McDonough. <br><br>More from <a href=” here! <a href=” <a href=”https://t.co/WdQAQlH08P”>pic.twitter.com/WdQAQlH08P</a>
The Nuggets had a disappointing offseason with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leaving as a free agent to sign with the Orlando Magic. Retaining him likely would have put them in the second tax apron, thereby limiting their flexibility to add to the roster.
Caldwell-Pope was a valuable contributor to the team as a 3-and-D wing who fit well in an offense led by Murray and Nikola Jokić. He certainly wasn’t as important to the team as Murray, so if they had to prioritize someone, it was going to be the latter.
Murray is arguably the best player in the NBA who has never made an All-Star team. He has averaged at least 20 points per game in each of his last three seasons played. The Kentucky alum set career-highs in assists (6.5) and three-point percentage (42.5) in 59 starts last season.
For a Nuggets team that is still trying to compete for championships every year with Jokić, the reigning NBA MVP still in the prime of his career, keeping Murray to play with him as arguably the best duo in the league was an easy call.