In Game 3 of the Finals, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic did something no duo has ever done in NBA history.
No, not NBA Finals history — NBA history.
Jokic went for a triple-double of 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists while Murray added a triple-double of 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. They became the first teammates to ever record 30-point triple-doubles in the same game, regardless of the stage.
Murray has been incredible during this playoff run, and that is nothing new for the 26-year-old. From his scoring explosions in the bubble in 2020 to his prolific playmaking in the 2023 NBA Finals, the Kentucky product has always shown out when the lights are the brightest.
MORE: Where Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray stand in the NBA's triple-double record book
Even after suffering a torn ACL during the homestretch of the 2020-21 season, Murray has come back even stronger after missing the entire 2021-22 season due to injury recovery.
With a playoff career average of 25.4 points, 6.2 assists and 5.0 rebounds in 51 games, Murray has placed himself among some of the all-time greats. According to The Sporting News' Micah Adams, the Canadian guard joins Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Jerry West, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jokic as the only players in NBA history to average 25-5-5 in a minimum of 50 playoff games played.
All seven of those other players are either current Hall of Famers or future locks for Springfield.
The good news for Denver? Murray is under contract for a minimum of two more seasons with a lucrative extension sure to come in the near future.
Jamal Murray contract details
During the 2019 offseason, the Nuggets signed Murray to a five-year, $170 million maximum rookie scale extension. He joined Ben Simmons as the only player from the 2016 NBA Draft class to receive the max extension, while other All-Stars like Jaylen Brown, Pascal Siakam and Domantas Sabonis fell short of that max number.
Murray has two years and just shy of $70 million remaining on his contract, keeping him in Denver through the end of the 2024-25 season.
(All salary figures via Spotrac.)
| Year | Jamal Murray's salary |
| 2022-23 | $31.7 million |
| 2023-24 | $33.8 million |
| 2024-25 | $36.0 million |
| 2025-26 | UFA |
When is Jamal Murray eligible for a contract extension?
As ESPN's Brian Windhorst mentioned after the Nuggets advanced to their first NBA Finals in franchise history, Murray will be eligible for a four-year, $144 million contract extension this offseason.
However, Murray could choose to bet on himself and play out the 2023-24 season in hopes of making an All-NBA Team, making him supermax eligible in the 2024 offseason.
Whether or not Murray is willing to take that risk is to be determined, and his knee injury in 2021 could play a role in that decision. Either way, the 26-year-old is sure to remain in Denver for the foreseeable future.
