Mark Kiszla: After Jamal Murray proves to be total zero at Olympics, no way Nuggets should give him new $200 million contract (2024)

PARIS — Agitated, bitter and a total zero for Canada at the Olympics, guard Jamal Murray isn’t worth anywhere near $200 million in Denver.

Put your checkbook away, Nuggets.

Should Murray be considered absolutely essential in Denver’s pursuit of another NBA championship?

I think not.

Although only 27 years old, Murray clearly ain’t the player he used to be.

His burst to the bucket is missing and his shot is too often AWOL.

It’s a good thing Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth didn’t rush to sign Murray to a four-year, $209 million extension before the guard packed his bags for France.

There’s no way a bust at the Olympics is worth a max contract in the NBA.

After being beaten 82-73 by France in the tournament semifinals, Murray walked off the court with his head down and tried to make himself invisible to the media in the mixed zone of Bercy Arena before I stopped him.

“It was a tough experience, personally,” Murray said Tuesday after clanking 10 of his 13 field-goal attempts and finishing with seven points while coming off the bench for a fourth straight game while representing Canada.

While insisting that playing with his countrymen was fun, Murray revealed he never got comfortable in his backup role with Canada.

“It’s an adjustment, for sure. First time coming off the bench, and on top of that, not playing on the ball,” Murray said. “It’s just an adjustment, playing against the best teams and players in the world.”

With a towel draped over his shoulders, Murray often looked passive on Canada’s bench, far different from the intense, fist-pumping engagement often seen when he’s on the sideline with the Nuggets.

Did Team Canada’s coaching staff use him properly at the Olympics?

Well, I got the distinct sense Murray was less than pleased as a sub for his national team.

“I’m still kind of adjusting to that kind of role,” he said. “But that's a question for higher-ups.”

If the Nuggets and Murray were totally on the same page in contract negotiations, why couldn’t they get the details done on a new deal prior to the Summer Games?

And this miserable performance should give Denver management serious cause for pause.

Murray was more a total zero in the Olympics than a hole in a Tim Horton’s doughnut. He finished a brief tour at the Summer Games averaging 6.0 points per game on 29 percent shooting from the field, leading Canada only in turnovers, often the result of his nasty habit of aimless, over-dribbling that we’ve seen him develop in Denver.

Often appearing lost when playing off the ball alongside lead guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, he found it far more difficult to find an open jumper without the gift of those otherworldly assists from Nikola Jokic that bless Murray in Denver.

Among the six players that logged the most minutes of court time for Canada, Murray was the only one that finished on the negative side of the ledger in plus/minus rating, at -5.8.

So what’s the excuse? Was the Blue Arrow broken?

After another NBA regular season in which he was often dinged and looked to be in less than top condition during the playoffs, could it be Murray was playing hurt in France?

“I’m doing great. I’m fine,” Murray said, shooting down any suggestion he was less than 100% healthy with a what-you-talkin'-bout glare.

So a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad basketball season ended for Murray without any precious metal from the Olympics, echoing the disappointment of his NBA season, which consisted of one unforgettable half-court heave in Minnesota and a whole lot of inconsistency.

“We don’t have a chance to play for a medal,” Murray said, after the perfect 3-0 record Canada established in group play proved meaningless when push came to shove against a much bigger French team in the knockout round. “So we’ll do better next time out.”

Oh, Canada. If Murray couldn’t start at guard for thee, do you see flaws in Murray the Nuggets don’t?

We get it. Murray was never going to start over SGA, not only a fantastic player for OKC in the NBA, but the guy who finished second this past season to Jokic in the voting for most valuable player.

A nagging question, however, bugs me: Was Murray too short or too much of a defensive liability to be on the floor enough to score as many points for Canada as teammates R.J. Barrett, Lu Dort or even Andrew Nembhard?

On the eve of the Summer Games, the Indiana Pacers signed Nembhard to a contract worth $20 million per year, less than half what Murray is seeking.

Yes, the Nuggets could’ve never won the first championship in franchise history without Murray. But since suffering a knee injury in April 2021, he has not played more than 65 regular-season games in the ensuing three years.

Murray looks increasingly more like the chief beneficiary of Jokic’s basketball genius rather than a bona fide NBA All-Star.

If his home country didn’t fully trust Murray to bring home gold, silver or bronze to Canada, the Nuggets would be foolish to show him the green.

Sign Murray on the dotted line?

Not now. No way. No hurry.

The Nuggets would be wiser to shop Murray in trade.