Jamal Murray's Offseason Transformation Fuels Nuggets' Success

The Nuggets point guard is playing at an All-Star level after a 'spacious' offseason.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 6:31pm

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Jamal Murray is enjoying the best season of his NBA career, averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists. The 28-year-old point guard credits his 'spacious' offseason following the Nuggets' second-round playoff loss to the Thunder as the key to his resurgence. Murray was able to take time to get healthy and mentally refresh, which has translated to improved production and efficiency on the court this season.

Why it matters

Murray's breakout campaign has been crucial to the Nuggets' success, as the team has weathered injuries to star center Nikola Jokic. Murray's ability to shoulder a larger offensive load and play at an All-Star level has kept the Nuggets competitive in the tough Western Conference.

The details

After the Nuggets' second-round playoff loss to the Thunder last season, Murray had a long offseason to focus on his health and mindset. The extra time allowed him to recover from a concussion and other minor injuries that plagued him early last season. Murray also used the offseason to reset mentally, putting aside the outside noise and criticism he faced. The results have been evident, as Murray is posting career-highs in points, rebounds, and assists while shooting at a highly efficient clip.

  • Murray's 'spacious' offseason began after the Nuggets' Game 7 loss to the Thunder on May 18, 2025.
  • Murray has played in 44 of the Nuggets' first 49 games this season, a significant improvement from his injury-plagued 2024-25 campaign.

The players

Jamal Murray

The 28-year-old point guard for the Denver Nuggets, who is enjoying a breakout season and is a leading candidate to be named an NBA All-Star for the first time in his career.

Nikola Jokic

The star center for the Denver Nuggets, who missed 16 games earlier this season due to a bone bruise in his left knee.

David Adelman

The head coach of the Denver Nuggets, who has praised Murray's play this season.

Peyton Watson

A teammate of Jamal Murray on the Denver Nuggets, who has expressed his desire for Murray to be named an NBA All-Star.

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What they’re saying

“It was just a really good, long offseason. I got to do a lot. I got to be healthy and come back with a fresh, new mindset. Especially with everything that people were saying about me and stuff, it just felt nice to just put it all away for a couple of months and come back refreshed mentally. That was a huge thing. The mental is more important than the physical.”

— Jamal Murray (Denver Gazette)

“Jamal Murray has been incredible. Jamal was so underrated tonight. They were up in pick-and-rolls. He got off the ball. He was clean.”

— David Adelman, Nuggets Head Coach (Denver Gazette)

“Since the season started, I think he's playing at a really high level. All the percentages and everything were really good, his assist-to-turnover ratio, especially in this period we had a lot of guys out, he stepped up big time and had some amazing games. He's showed that he can play with everybody, and he can dominate the floor in different (ways). Sometimes he has a lot of assists. Sometimes he has a lot of points, but he was giving guys that calmness and stability.”

— Nikola Jokic, Nuggets Center (Denver Gazette)

“I do really want that for him. He should be an All-Star.”

— Peyton Watson, Nuggets Teammate (Denver Gazette)

What’s next

The Nuggets will face the Thunder on Sunday, February 2nd, in a matchup that could provide a barometer for how much Murray has improved since last season's playoff series.

The takeaway

Jamal Murray's breakout season has been fueled by a productive offseason focused on his health and mindset. His improved play has been crucial to the Nuggets' success, and he is now firmly in the conversation to be named an NBA All-Star for the first time in his career.