Jamal Murray, Nuggets Reportedly Discussing Potential Contract Extension

While teams around the NBA are searching for free agents to help their team, the Denver Nuggets are hoping to keep one of their biggest stars from even hitting the open market.

The team has reportedly begun discussions on a contract extension for point guard Jamal Murray, according to Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

Murray has one year remaining on his rookie deal and is set to make $4.4 million during the 2019-20 season.

The No. 7 pick in the 2016 draft has improved his production in each year of his career and truly turned heads this past season, ranking second on the team with an average of 18.2 points per game.

He also set career highs with 4.8 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game while helping the Nuggets earn the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

Though Denver suffered a second-round loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, the conference semifinals still represented the deepest run for the franchise since 2009.

The playoffs were also a bit of a breaking-out party for Murray, who averaged 21.3 points per game in 14 starts. He scored 34 points in two different games against the Blazers in Round 2.

If the Nuggets can keep Murray under contract, they can keep together the promising young core of him, Nikola Jokic, Gary Harris and more for at least a few more years. Even as the rest of the Western Conference improves, this squad isn't going away anytime soon.