A breakout in the Bubble earned the star point guard a rookie max extension — Boardroom looks at the numbers behind the Nuggets’ Jamal Murray contract.
Let’s rewind back to the 2020 NBA Bubble. It’s the playoffs and the Denver Nuggets have advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clips have taken a 3-1 lead in the series and the Nuggets are in danger of being eliminated.
Jamal Murray, chased by the relentless Patrick Beverley, finally cracks the code of defense without hampering the team’s flow. With the series now tied, the Nuggets have forced the Clippers to turn more attention to then-future MVP Nikola Jokic. In Game 7, Murray — without the same defensive attention hounding him — explodes for 40 points and the Nuggets advance to the Conference Finals. All this followed multiple 50-point games against Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz in a series that likewise saw Denver prevail after falling behind three games to one.
With his stellar play in the Bubble confirming his status as a rising star, the Nuggets believed the point guard was worthy of a 25% rookie max extension for five years and over $158 million, keeping the Kitchener, Ontario native in the Mile High City through 2025 — let’s take a closer look at the numbers behind Denver’s Jamal Murray contract.
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Jamal Murray Contract Details & Salary
All dollar figures via Spotrac.
Years: 5
Total value: $158,253,000
Average annual value: $31,650,600
Free agency: 2025
2020-21 salary: $27,285,000
2021-22: $29,467,800
Upcoming annual salary earnings:
2022-23: $31,650,600
2023-24: $33,833,400
2024-25: $36,016,200
In a major setback, Murray tore his ACL in April of 2021 and missed the entire 2021-22 season as he recovered. Jokic has since won two MVP awards, while fellow Nugget Michael Porter Jr. earned his own rookie max extension despite injury challenges of his own. All told, Murray very much remains an integral piece for Denver as they chase a first-ever NBA title.
The 2022-23 campaign is his sixth in the NBA, but is still just an age-25 season for the lottery pick out of the University of Kentucky. The three players making up Denver’s core are under contract for at least the next few years, and when each one is healthy, they make up one of the most talented teams in the NBA. If they can stay on the court consistently, they’ll never be a team anyone will want to play come the postseason.
Jamal Murray’s Career Earnings
TOTAL NBA EARNINGS THRU 2021-22: $102,636,309
ESTIMATED SALARY EARNINGS THRU 2023-24: $172,485,909
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