July 2017, a thunderclap strikes Ohio: Kyrie Irving asks to leave the Cavaliers, with whom he has just lost the NBA Finals to the Warriors. At the time, we lend the leader desires to join the Spurs.
But the Cavs have other ideas in mind. Kristaps Porzingis, Jayson Tatum or… Josh Jackson would be in their sights. But also a certain Jamal Murray. In Denver, the 7th choice of the 2016 Draft has just completed a relatively discreet rookie season with 10 points on average. Jameer Nelson and Emmanuel Mudiay are still ahead of him in the rotation.
The challenge is whether the 19-year-old will manage to secure the lead for the years to come, like Kyrie Irving did in Cleveland, already collecting four All-Star selections in the process. Game.
In a long retrospective on the construction of the workforce of the new NBA champions, ESPN recalls that Mike Malone remembered being approached by Tim Connelly, the architect of the Nuggets. The idea: to exchange the Canadian for an experienced player.
patience and stability
So why not the Cavs point guard? But Denver is giving up on this prospect, preferring to bet on the potential of Nikola Jokic’s privileged future playing partner. “ We have been offered a lot of excellent players for our young talents. There is a fine line between overvaluing your own players and being overly aggressive in chasing short-term results “, delivered Tim Connelly in 2017.
The Nuggets thus decide to bet on Jamal Murray, who will become the starting point guard the following season. A position he will not leave because the leaders will build around his duo with Nikola Jokic.
” I remember when Tim (Connelly, the club’s former sporting boss, now at Wolves) called me and said, ‘Hey, we can trade Jamal for this guy. It was probably three or four years ago – and he was a top player “, recently reported Mike Malone.
But the latter had refused at the time: I told him ‘No’. ‘Let’s not rush. We have a group of patient owners. Let’s take our time and build this project the right way. A bigger name is not always better’. »
Patience paid off today with this title won, of which Jamal Murray was one of the key players. On the other side of the country, Kyrie Irving had finally landed in Boston, before finally packing his bags for Brooklyn two seasons later, to evolve alongside Kevin Durant. Then to go to the Mavericks this season.
| Jamal Murray | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2016-17 | DEN | 82 | 22 | 40.4 | 33.4 | 88.3 | 0.5 | 2.1 | 2.6 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 9.9 |
| 2017-18 | DEN | 81 | 32 | 45.1 | 37.8 | 90.5 | 1.0 | 2.7 | 3.7 | 3.4 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 16.7 |
| 2018-19 | DEN | 75 | 33 | 43.7 | 36.7 | 84.8 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.4 | 18.2 |
| 2019-20 | DEN | 59 | 32 | 45.6 | 34.6 | 88.1 | 0.8 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 18.5 |
| 2020-21 | DEN | 48 | 36 | 47.7 | 40.8 | 86.9 | 0.8 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 21.2 |
| 2022-23 | DEN | 65 | 33 | 45.4 | 39.8 | 83.3 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 4.0 | 6.2 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 0.3 | 20.0 |
| Total | 410 | 31 | 44.7 | 37.3 | 87.0 | 0.8 | 2.9 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 16.9 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
