Nuggets star guard Jamal Murray has been out of action since suffering a torn left ACL in a 116-107 road loss against the Warriors last April. Murray missed all last season, but his comeback is under way.
According to Katy Winge from Altitude Sports, Murray — who is in Australia — told the media that he plans to return to the court during the preseason. Roy Ward from The Age Sport shared that Murray “thinks his best play is still to come.”
Nuggets fans have been waiting for Murray to share an update like this for months. With Nikola Jokic carrying them while winning his second straight NBA MVP award, the team made the playoffs last season despite missing Murray and Michael Porter Jr. It wasn’t enough to overcome the Warriors in the first round, but this season the Nuggets should be strong contenders in the West with Murray and Porter Jr. back.
Murray has career averages of 16.3 points, 3.8 assists and 3.6 rebounds in 30.1 minutes over 345 games with the Nuggets. Before the injury, he averaged 21.2 points, 4.8 assists and four rebounds in 35.5 minutes over 48 games in the 2020-21 season, shooting 40.8 percent from three-point range.
Denver had a busy offseason. The Nuggets traded Will Barton and Monte Morris for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith. They also added Bruce Brown.
