Jamal Murray was drafted by the Denver Nuggets with the seventh pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Here’s a look at Jamal Murray’s scouting report and projection as he enters the league.
Strengths
· Shooting
o 40% on 7.7 attempts per game as a freshman at Kentucky
o Easy, smooth mechanics that allow him to shoot from well beyond the line
o Doesn’t need much space to get his shot off
· Age
o Only 19 years old
o Doesn’t turn 20 until February
o Plenty of time to adjust to NBA
· Moves Without Ball
o Murray uses screens well
o He was constantly coming off screens and getting his feet set quickly at UK
o Understands how to relocate to the passer’s line of sight
Weaknesses
· Defense
o Fundamentally flawed
o Poor awareness
o Average to below average lateral quickness for NBA
· Creating For Others
o Decent passer but he doesn’t create shots for his teammates
o Most assists at UK came in transition or from moving the ball around perimeter
· Physical Tools
o 6’3” without shoes is short for an NBA shooting guard
o 6’6.5” wingspan is underwhelming
o Reported 39.5” vertical at UK pro day but athleticism doesn’t show in games
Physical
As a shooting guard, Jamal Murray’s physical measurements are below par. He’s only 6-foot-3 without shoes on. That’s about two inches shorter than the normal shooting guard. His wingspan (6’6.5”) does not make up for his lack of height. Some will say that he will be able to play the point guard position where his size is more suitable, but I do not seeing that to be true.
Kentucky reported his vertical leap at 39.5”. That would be fantastic if true. During his freshman season, Murray did not display that explosiveness in transition or in the half court. There wasn’t that incredible athleticism displayed throughout any of the year.
Offense
Jamal Murray is a shooter first and foremost. He shot 40% for the season on 277 attempts. That sample size of shots proves that it wasn’t Murray getting lucky rolls to inflate his shooting percentage. Murray has a textbook shot with quick, smooth mechanics. He does not need much space to get his shot off from any distance. The only inconsistency with his shot was when he really had to rush much more than the normal catch and shoot situation.
He has a bit of a floater game off the dribble. He didn’t get to the paint very much in his freshman season at Kentucky. Murray usually got to the paint when opponents closed out too hard in order to stop his shot. When he did get to the paint, he was looking for his shot and not to pass the ball.
Murray is a decent passer and ball protector. Despite those two skills, Murray didn’t set his teammates up frequently at Kentucky. Most of his assists came in transition and by moving the ball around the perimeter for open shots. They weren’t draw and kicks or penetrate and drop offs too often.
That’s part of the reason why I don’t see Murray as a point guard, at least, early in his career. He can bring the ball up the court, but he isn’t going to be breaking down defenses. The other part of being a point guard or combo guard is defending point guards. That will be a monumental task for Murray at this point.
Defense
The steepest learning curve or uphill battle for Murray in the NBA is the defensive end. His defensive fundamentals are incredibly weak. Murray gets lost on the defensive end frequently by turning away from his man and standing straight up away from the ball. He’s not the quickness player laterally anyway, so the fundamental lapses cost him dearly. The little things like giving his man too much space when chasing shooters around screens and getting caught on each screen add up to Murray being a below average defender. The good news is that Murray can improve most of these areas if he buys into the coaching.
Summary
There is a lot of room in the NBA for shot makers. Jamal Murray should be able to do that as well as anyone. If he cashes in 40% of his three-point attempts, his defensive liability will be overlooked. I could see him being a power guard that shoots the ball at a high level.
I see Murray’s NBA ceiling as a one or two time all-star. The more likely peak of his career is being a second or third scorer - good but not great NBA player. He’ll have to improve on the defensive end and expand his ball-handling/playmaking to be in the realm of an all-star.
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