Jamal Murray had a minor triumph amid his struggling offseason. The Denver Nuggets guard flew down to Paris with the Canadian squad on national duty. On paper, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s side looked threatening, but it wasn’t making any noise on the court. Especially, Murray crumbled like a fragile glass, struggling to find buckets. While the 27-year-old sunk in sorrow, the latest $208 contract extension acted as a balm. However, it didn’t stay for long as a former NBA champion dropped a reality check on him.

The Nuggets star entered last season as a defending champion and a 1B player, considering his 2023 postseason run. However, the title didn’t tag along with him for a long time, as he struggled with injuries, missing 23 games. And in the postseason, the Bubble Murray choked at the time that the team exactly needed him.

Keeping the receipts of Murray’s poor run, Kendrick Perkins wasn’t letting the whopping four-year extension slide away easily. Nevertheless, the former Champ sympathized with the Mile High team and said, “I think Denver had no choice.” Moreover, Perkins didn’t stop at that. He proceeded to ring a wake-up call to the Nuggets nation. The big man added, “I’m looking at him and I’m saying what can you bring to the table without (Nikola) Jokic being on the floor?”

Nikola Jokić is undoubtedly one of the best ballers in the world and a lone pillar in the Nuggets fold. The reigning MVP doesn’t seem to have a Robin at this point. Perkins continued, “When it comes down to Jamal Murray, I think this year he has to take that leap. And when it comes down to having pressure, especially with Denver losing KCP (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) he is top three on my list of guys under the most pressure to deliver.” 

Unlike a short tournament like the Olympics, Jamal Murray will have a lot of time to get back his rhythm in the upcoming regular season. And, there are positive chances for the Canadian to bounce back, the way Kendrick Perkins expects him to.

Following the reality check, Perkins threw another hurdle at Jamal Murray

Apart from his form on the court, Jamal Murray also struggled with injuries throughout his career. After going off in the Bumble season, Murray had one of the biggest setbacks of his career. The point guard suffered an unfortunate ACL tear and missed an entire season (2021-22). However, he bounced back immediately and won the championship on his return.

Even after his return, the Nuggets guard struggled with injuries once in a while. Addressing this concern, Perkins again demanded justice. He added, “We also have to keep the same energy for him that we do for Anthony Davis that we do for Kawhi Leonard that we question that, why they stay healthy. Jamal Murray has to get some of that same energy.”

Both Kawhi Leonard and Anthony Davis have had their fair share of injury mishaps. Notably, both stars have won rings just like Murray, but at the same time, Leonard and Davis are viewed as more prone to injuries than Murray. Perkins addressed the injustice and requested the rest of the critiquing community to push down the same treatment.

Do you think Jamal Murray would shut down his critics in the coming season? Let us know in the comments.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.