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Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray will likely be out three to four weeks due to his right hamstring strain, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Murray suffered the injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s game against the Chicago Bulls. In addition to missing the rest of that contest, he also missed Monday’s game and will likely be sidelined for the remainder of November, according to Wojnarowski.
Wojnarowski’s report lines up with what head coach Michael Malone said on Monday.
“We’ll kind of continue to talk to our doctors, but his injury is not a one- or two-game injury,” Malone said. “That’s what I do know. This will be something that will be longer than we would like.
“… You have to have the big picture in mind and make sure we’re putting him in position to get healthy before he comes back. Because this is an injury that, if you keep having recurring hamstring injuries or soft tissue injuries, they can linger and become even worse. And that’s the one thing we do not want to happen.”
It’s a tough blow for Murray, who missed the entire 2021-22 season with a torn ACL. His return last season was well worth the wait, however, as he had a spectacular playoff run in helping Denver win its first title.
Through six healthy games, Murray was averaging 18.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 8.7 APG on .436/.438/.842 shooting (34.4 MPG). Denver’s starting point guard is under contract through 2024-25.
Murray is one of the players who would become eligible for a supermax veteran extension — worth 35% of the cap instead of 30% — if he earns All-NBA honors in 2023-24. But the league instituted a games-played requirement (minimum 65) to make All-NBA teams going forward, and the 26-year-old will likely be out at least 12 to 14 games with the hamstring strain. Even assuming he has an All-NBA-caliber season, it could be challenging for him to play at least 65 games.
Reggie Jackson has been starting in Murray’s place, with Collin Gillespie receiving minutes at backup point guard. Rookie first-rounder Julian Strawther has also been receiving more run and playing well. The defending champions are 8-1 after beating Golden State on Wednesday night.
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