Troy Renck: Kris Bryant is a lost cause, barely able to walk, let alone hit. Russell Wilson is somebody else’s Giant problem. And Michael Porter Jr. is finally playing somewhere besides here. Injuries stink. But when it comes to Bryant, owner Dick Monfort was advised by some in the inner circle not to sign him as a free agent because of the former MVP’s declining power. So, as with most mistakes related to the Rockies, there is no sympathy. Wilson provided a master class in the perils of desperation. But coach Sean Payton and owner Greg Penner had the good sense not to let dollars prevent ending an irreconcilable relationship. MPJ provided flashes of brilliance and helped the Nuggets win a championship, but Denver had to move on from him to move forward. So that prompts the question: Who now has the worst contract in Colorado pro sports?
Sean Keeler: If we’re taking Bryant off the table? Anybody who’s a straight arrow knows it’s the Blue Arrow. Jamal Murray asked for the Moon, and the Nuggets paid him like an All-Star — his $51.96 million average annual value (AAV), per Spotrac.com, trails only SGA, Steph Curry, Devin Booker, Cade Cunningham and Paul George among NBA guards. He’ll take up roughly a third of Denver’s salary cap through 2029. Don’t get me wrong — Murray earned a pay bump. But his extension became a classic case of a very good player being paid to be great. And Nuggets fans are more concerned about his weight and his gait.
Renck: Jamal Murray is the answer. It is because of his money in the future, not the moments he provided in the past. Bubble Jamal was electric. Playoff Jamal, circa 2023, was special. The fact that we have to provide nicknames for his postseasons is the problem. Why can’t he just be Jamal Murray, terrific player? His inconsistency and injuries are becoming an increasing issue because he is now making max money, entering the first year of a four-year, $207.8 million contract. Here is the reality. He will be the 16th highest-paid player in the NBA this season. He is the only player in the top 27 not to make an All-Star team, leaving him almost impossible to trade.
Keeler: You could make a case for Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey and his team-high $23.8 million cap number, but any investment in Bo Nix demands an investment in his protection. The Rockies’ extensions for Kyle Freeland ($12.9 million AAV), Ryan McMahon ($11.7 million AAV), Antonio Senzatela ($10.1 million AAV), and German Marquez ($10 million AAV) haven’t aged well. Is Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog still a $7-million top 6 forward, now that you can’t “hide” that $7 million anymore? For better or worse, we’re about to find out.
Renck: Gabe Landeskog’s contract is framed around absence not performance. And he has a chance to change that this season. It is why the point cannot be stressed enough with Murray. The Nuggets need his best from the outset, not after using the first two months to get in shape. He is entering his ninth season. Coach Michael Malone is no longer around to coddle him. Time for Murray to prove he is worth elite money by delivering his best season from the first bell through the postseason.
Keeler: Let’s not forget Zeke Nnaji, a nice dude who’s nonetheless slated to take up as much cap room for the Nuggets next season ($8.1 million) by himself as Houston’s Tari Eason ($5.7 million) and Sacramento’s Keon Ellis ($2.1 million) will combined for their respective squads. Murray showed up for Adelman’s introductory news conference. Now the Arrow needs to show up for his coach in November, in January, in the dog days, on opening night, in late May — and every day in between.
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